Brownie Points
by ColorTuesdayBlack
Summary: I had just moved to La Push and already I was persuaded to go to a boring bonfire, partied with loser high schoolers, dragged to a stranger's house, and nearly attacked by some psychotic guy. And it all happened just because I stole his brownies. R&R!
1. Chapter One

**[Author's Note]  
**

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Twilight, though sadly I dream about it every night only to wake up and realize that it isn't true. :`(**

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**Moving In**

"Come on," I urged. "Get up, Ally. We've gotta unpack!"

My friend, Allison, was lying on top of her covers on the couch, her legs splayed across the cushions. She groaned, pressing her pillow against the side of her face. I slapped her leg.

"We'll never get this house furnished if you don't get up, Al. Come on, I'm not playing anymore." I announced.

Allison and I just moved to La Push. We finally got to live in the house we purchased with our hard earned money, and still we hadn't unpacked the mountains of boxes that were stacked precariously around the tiny household. We keep putting it off more and more, but now I'm tired of running into a stack of boxes every night when I make a trip to the bathroom.

The house itself wasn't so bad, with two bedrooms, a small kitchen, a living room and a bathroom. Hell, we even have our own little back yard. But sometimes it felt as though it wasn't big enough with the both of us occupying it.

Allison and I are polar opposites. She's tall, leggy, with short golden blond hair that is always effortlessly stylish, and a killer sense of fashion. Blue eyes were framed by heavy, dark lashes and were under perfectly arched eyebrows. Ally loved to party, and was the social butterfly out of the two of us. She's only had, like, a million boyfriends, and she keeps a scrapbook of them. Al claims that "they hold good memories" and she keeps them around "for sentimental reasons." But I secretly suspect that she looks them over at nights and ogles their drool-worthy abs and muscles.

I, on the other and far distant hand, have had little to no boyfriends, dark hair, and dismal gray eyes far too huge for my small-framed face. I won't say that I'm short, 'cause that's just not the case. I like to use _fun-sized_, or _vertically challenged_ to describe myself. There's a big difference, trust me. As for my clothes, I usually hint towards the darker side of the force, 'cause, let's just face reality for the sake of humor, _I do not feel 'pretty' in pink_.

Al still hadn't moved.

I gingerly picked up the corner of the blanket, pretending to examine it before jerking it with all my strength. Allison came tumbling down, falling face first into the dark carpet. She stayed there, not moving an inch. I nudged her side with my toe lightly, and when she didn't respond I nudged harder.

"Ally," I whispered. I bent down, putting my hand on the middle of her back, shaking her slightly. "Ally?" I was about to whisper again when Allison tackled me, mercilessly poking my sensitive sides and the crook of my neck. I squealed, trying to throw her off of me.

The tickling continued. "How do you like that? Huh?" she laughed. "You evil little leprechaun!" I giggled as her fingers frantically poked and prodded sensitive skin.

"P-Please!" I gasped. Allison leered down at me.

"Please, what?"

"Pl-lease s-stop tickling m-me!" I begged. Allison smiled sweetly down at me before gracefully picking herself from on top of me. I scowled at her.

"That," I said. "Was not funny." Allison giggled, but otherwise ignored my contemptuous comment.

"Okay, time to get unpacking!" she announced, clapping her hands.

I dragged the heavy box into my room, panting heavily. My skin was glazed over with sweat, and my cheeks pink from exertion.

"Come on," Allison jeered. "My dead grandmother can move faster than you!"

"I bet your grandmother didn't have to lug around twenty ton boxes around and unpack them!" I retorted. I heard a snort from the Allison's room, then silence.

In the quiet, I examined the bedroom: my new bedroom.

I had my bed pushed against the wall, my pillows lined evenly where the folded over blanket ended. I had my favorite blanket on top of my comforted, a crocheted blanket of varying blues my mother had made me before I moved. There was a little wooden shelf case with some academic awards and pictures of family and friends, and a small window that let in minimal light. Books and magazines that were all neat and precise, nothing out of place, already took up my nightstand. No clutter, thank God.

"Cassie!" Allison called, but I ignored her. I still had to unpack a few more boxes until I was done, and I needed utter concentration to visualize the best possible places.

"Cassie," Allison moaned, much louder. "Cassssiiieeeeee….." I sighed as her pleas became more garbled, and lower. That girl is such a spaz.

I sighed, walking out into the narrow hallway and stepped into the open doorway of Al's room.

"Cassssiiieeeeee— oh! You're here now," she said, giggling. Allison was sitting cross-legged on her mattress, a giant book opened in front of her. She waved me over with an enthusiastic hand.

"Come look at pictures with me!"

I sat beside her on the comfy bed and examined the pictures that were taped to the pages. Each one had a short paragraph beside it in sparkly purple ink. "Oo! You remember this one?"

I snorted, rolling my eyes. How could I not forget? It was taken at our High School graduation— two weeks ago.

It was of us, surrounded by other friends and random people wanting to be in the picture. We were both in our navy graduation gowns, our hair slightly mussed by the caps we had been wearing. Al's eyes were red-rimmed, and slightly puffy. She had been crying her eyes out, much to my embarrassment. Her arms were wrapped around me, crushing me to her side. I was looking at her, a comical annoyed expression tightening my eyes and pinching the skin around my mouth as I glared at her.

I chuckled. "I've never understood how you could be so sentimental over such silly things." This time, Allison was the one to give me the annoyed glare.

"It's not silly, Cassidy," she corrected disparagingly. "It was a momentous occasion, one that we will never get to experience again." I rolled my eyes, nodding. How many times have I heard her say that?

"Well, what else do you have?"

Al flipped the pages, obviously looking for something to tease me with. I was right.

"Wasn't he a looker, eh?" It was a picture of prom, me looking very miserable by my ex-boyfriend, who was a ghastly shade of green. Only a second later, off camera, he blew chunks everywhere. Nothing was left untouched. Sadly, it applied to everyone in a five-foot radius. Especially me.

"Aw," I whined. "Why can't we get rid of that one? Like, set it on fire or shoot it off on a firecracker?"

Allison shook her head. "No way. This, right here, is freaking gold."

All night, we reminisced over the images, laughing over memories, and scoffing at the stupid things we did. And, trust me, we did a lot of stupid stuff. When the sun rose, casting everything in a pale pinkish-orange glow, we said "good night" to each other, and went to bed.


	2. Chapter Two

**Author's Note:  
**

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT own the Twilight saga in any shape or form, only Allison, Cassidy and the plot. But, if Mrs. Meyer is feeling generous enough to donate... ; ]**

**Okay.... quite a couple of hits, which was good. Two reviews is a miracle for me [by the way, thanks for that. Those reviews made me giggle like Michael Jackson at a Harry Potter convention. I know, creepy.], zero favorites...eh. My self-esteem is taking a serious ass-beating guys, but hopefully Jeanne Anne the Dream fairy will grant me my wishes and make them come true so that this story will get _slightly_ popular. Slightly, of course. Nothing big. But I could always hope....  
**

**Oh, yeah. In this chapter, some La Push men make their debut. :O  
**

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**High Schoolers, Creepy Guys and the Woods, oh my!**

I groaned as Al tugged on my arm, getting harder and harder with every pull.

"Can't you be nice for once in your life and let me stay home, huh?" I asked. "Please, God, I'm begging you, let me sleep!"

"Nun-uh," Al growled. "There will be hot guys there, and we need boyfriends, like, desperately."

"I'm not seeing the logic."

"You don't have to. What you have to do is go to that damn bonfire!"

I scowled unimpressively at her. "No, I don't. Free country, remember? Fourth of July mean anything to you?" I received a smack across the head.

"Look, Cassie, if we don't go out and party and socialize, what do we have to show for our summer?" she asked, quite reasonably. I raised an eyebrow.

"We have a house that we bought, Al. I think that would be enough for me." I said, turning back to the television, flipping channels. Allison groaned, plopping down on the seat next to me. She propped her legs up on the old coffee table, and leaned her head back against the couch. It was quiet for a few minutes, besides the clicking of the remote as I zoomed past the channels.

Allison sighed, running a hand through her hair. "Please, Cass, I would really like to go," she said softly. I grunted noncommittally, but she continued. "But, I can't go by myself. I mean, I wouldn't know anyone there, and I would look like a total dork. So, please, Cassie, I'm begging, please don't make me go by myself." Damn, she knew had to play her cards right. She was guilt-tripping me.

I stared at her from the corner of my eyes, and she hastily spoke. "Please, Cassie, I'll owe you for, like, ever. But please, please come with me! Please?" I turned my gaze back to the television set, letting her sweat a bit. I could see her gnawing her bottom lip nervously.

"Well," I said, drawing the word out. "I guess I could," Ally squealed and wrapped her arms around me in a bone-crushing hug. "But, you will owe me, big time. Big time, I'm telling you!" I ranted. Allison nodded.

"But first," she said. "Makeovers."

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Oh, God, why did I ever agree to such a heinous idea? Why didn't I just stay and watch old re-runs of I Love Lucy! on my comfy couch instead of going to the beach where we were being stared at like peacocks on display at the zoo?! My cheeks tinted pink in embarrassment, and I hid behind Allison's confident moving body as we neared the bonfire. A cute-looking guy immediately approached us, or, at least, approached Al.

"And who you might be?" he asked 'seductively'. I gagged behind Al, earning me a kick in the shin.

"I'm Allison," she said, fluttering her eyelashes flirtatiously. "And this is Cassidy." she gestured towards me grandly, and I barely restrained myself from rolling my eyes. The boy drank all the attention up greedily.

"I'm Lewis, and these are the guys," he said, vaguely gesturing to the group behind him. "You new here?" I didn't miss how he left me out of the conversation. Loser.

"Yes, we're new here," Al confirmed. "We're staying here in La Push so we'll be close to the college we'll be attending." I didn't miss how his smile faltered.

"College, huh?" he asked, his voice going up a pitch. I raised an eyebrow at Ally, and she seemed to catch my drift.

"You're still in high school?" she asked, disappointment evident in her tone. Lewis grimaced, nodding his head. "Oh, well, that changes things." Allison moved past him, heading towards the bonfire. I smirked at the shocked boy, shaking my head slightly. Stupid boy.

Two hours and three plastic cups of beer later, we were having a miserable time. Boring. Mundane. Monotonous. All these words could hardly describe the long, dragging minutes that we spent there. And, naturally, I was begging for mercy every second.

"Can we go now?" I hated how whiny I sounded, but I was really bored, and I really, really wanted to go home. Al sighed, eyeing the pathetic sight disdainfully. Everyone else was tipsy, there words slurring and the stench of beer evident on their breaths. It was pathetic, really, that they could get drunk so easily.

"Sure," she said. "Why not? Let's blow this popsicle stand. This was the worst way to waste our time." Allison stood up from the ground, wiping sandy grains from her legs. I followed suit, tossing my cup into the garbage bin.

We walked past the crowd of laughing idiots, ignoring the whistles and the catcalls. Sand was getting in my shoes, and it was making me irritated. Why, oh why didn't I just stay home?

As we walked up the boarded sidewalk, going to our car, there were two tall, muscled men blocking our car. One was actually leaning against it and laughing. My blood boiled, and rushed to my face. Allison's face was pinched, eyes narrowed in disgust.

"Hey!" Al called, nostrils flaring. They didn't hear her. Her hand tightened around her cup of beer, and within a second, it hit one of them square in the back of their head. The talking ceased, and they glanced incredulously in our direction. The guy who she hit—the one leaning against the car—started to quiver, shaking the car. He craned his neck around slowly, to glare at Allison.

My body locked, muscles tensed to run. I didn't like where this was heading. I closed my eyes tightly, waiting for something bad to happen. Nothing did.

Cautiously, I opened one eye, and was met with a shocking sight. The guy was drenched, but he didn't look angry any more. In fact, he looked awed. I could see him taking Ally in, her angry, pink-tinted face, fists balled.

"Get," she snarled. "The hell off of our car, moron." The guy blinked once, then twice, before a look of comprehension flickered in his eye.

"Oh!" he exclaimed, quickly picking himself off the car. My eyes raked across the vehicle, relieved that there wasn't a dent or scratch marring the shiny exterior.

The guy rubbed the back of his head nervously, but his eyes still hadn't left Allison. "I'm sorry," he apologized. "My name's Embry."

Embry held out a large hand, waiting for her to shake it. The pink slowly faded from Allison's face, but she didn't rush over to shake his hand.

"My name's Allison, and this is Cassidy." she introduced. Embry dropped his hand, a look of hurt flashing in his eyes. The guy behind him cleared his throat, bringing the attention to himself.

"Well, since my friend over here won't introduce me, I'll just have to do the honors myself," he joked. "My name's Seth." Seth had a big, infectious grin on his face, one that was hard to ignore. Both of the guy's had shaggy hair, ending at their jaw lines. They were well over six feet tall, nearly seven, and had pretty russet colored skin.

Allison smiled slightly. "Well, if you guys could be so kind to move, we would really like to go home now." What an understatement. I walked over to the passenger side, Al going to the driver's. Embry looked horrified, and his mouth opened and shut, making him resemble a gasping fish.

"What my friend is trying to say," Seth said, grabbing my door so I couldn't get in. "Is: would you like to come over to our friend's house tonight?"

I glared at him, the word _no_ on my tongue. "Yes."

I shot a disbelieving look at Allison, but she didn't spare a glance in my direction. Instead, she was getting an eyeful of Embry, an appreciative smile on her face. Great. At least I know now where my best friend's loyalties lie.

Embry's face lit up. "Yeah, the house is in walking distance from here; we'll be there in no time." He eagerly started walking, both Allison and Seth on his heels. They were heading towards the woods…_in the dark_. Nun-uh. No sirree. This is where I cross the line. There is _no way_ I am going to go traipsing into the woods with two macho men who could easily overpower the two of us and murder us. Oh, Lord, I can see it now: headlines about two all American teenage girls who were found murdered in the woods, and hadn't even a chance to go to college; newspapers with our faces on the front page, our names in bulgy lettering. Oh, my parents would kill me!

I don't know how long I had been staring after them with a horrified expression until I heard Allison calling my name. "Cassie! Come on! Are you coming or not?" My feet planted firmly in the ground, and I stood stock-still in fear.

Allison stomped over to me, tugging at my arm, trying unsuccessfully to pull me towards the direction of the big, dark, scary woods.

I shook my head vehemently. "Nun-uh, Al. I am _not _going in the woods."

Seth and Embry walked back towards us, Embry with an irritated scowl plastered on his face. Seth grinned lazily at me, lips pulling back from sharp, white teeth. "Yeah, come on, Cassie. I mean, it's not like we're planning to kill you guys or anything." I yelped, hiding behind Allison. I heard a smack, and then a, "Hey! What did I do?!"

Allison petted my hair, and I instantly hated myself for acting like such a scaredy-cat. "Cassie," she whispered in my ear. "If you don't want to go, it's fine. I'm tired anyway; we could go home, if you want to." I knew what this was: a way out. She wanted to go to their friend's house, but she was being nice and trying to let me have my way.

It was awfully tempting, the thought of laying on the couch with a bowl of popcorn, watching _Roseanne _or _The Beverly Hillbillies_, or some other absurd comedy show. But, I still didn't want to be the buzz-kill, either.

I shook my head slightly. "Nah, we could go, I guess." I mumbled, less than half-heartedly. Allison smiled largely at me, pulling me into a giant hug.

"We'll try to make this quick," she promised me quietly before turning back to the guys. "Lead the way."

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**Okay, so I don't believe this chapter was _half_-bad [humor me, people.] So, please help Jeanne Anne out with my dreams, and hit that pretty green button below and review. Please? I'll sing Thriller for you guys. : ]**

**Oh, and Paul comes next chapter. Dun dun dun!  
**


	3. Chapter Three

**Author's Note**

**Okay guys, I caved. Truth be told, I was going to hold out MUCH longer on this chapter, even though it's kind of short. But, it does have Paul in it. Okay, so:**

**Gryffindor Gurl2: Thank you so much for reviewing two chapters in a row. I'm so lazy, I wouldn't have bothered even reviewing, much less for putting me on alert. You're awesome for that!**

**lolipops09: Thanks to you for reviewing, alerting, and favoriting my story! ;)**

**emily: Even though you reviewed one time, thank you. I love getting reviews because they make me super happy. **

**jdmceakwcmd frion: Thank you for the enthusiastic [to say the least] review, and it made me smile. As for your question, the brownies come in this chapter, but only to be eaten, of course. **

**And last but not least:**

**Manic-Cheese-Fairy, Jacqulin, and katevs: Thanks for the alert. You guys are awesome, too. ;]**

**So, in this very short chapter, and hopefully I don't disappoint too much. I've already written up to chapter eight [I have a lot of free time], so I should be able to complete this story. So, without further adieu....**

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**Who Stole My Damn Brownies?!**

I tried not to freak out in the woods, squeezing Allison's hand so tightly she yelped several times. Every time she did, Embry acted as if a bomb had just exploded, running over to Al and examining her hand, sending several nasty glares at me. I barely refrained from throwing a rock at him.

Finally, we—or at least I—stumbled out of the woods and come upon a nice sized house, the porch lights still on. It was, literally, a haven from the dark and I all but ran to it. I heard Ally laughing behind me, running after me. Seth strode to the door, rapping on it twice before letting himself in.

We were met with a delicious smell, and a clatter of activity. I followed Seth—Embry and Ally behind me—towards a kitchen, a woman's back to us as she stirred something in a pot.

"Hey, there, Emily!" Seth boomed, plopping himself up onto the counter. He rubbed his hands together excitedly. "So, what's for dinner?"

The woman—Emily—turned, and smiled at him. I barely contained a gasp of horror as I took in the three long slashes down the right side of her face. "Seth, dear, you ate enough food to last ten people a lifetime but two hours ago. How you can you still even think of eating?" she asked with mock disgust with a teasing smile. Emily seemed very motherly, and I immediately liked her.

"Oh," she said, looking at us. "Who are these young ladies?" She turned around to look at us. I smiled at her, waving shyly. "I'm Cassie." I said quietly, and a blush took over my cheeks. Allison was a bit more outgoing with her introduction.

"It nice to meet you both. I'm Emily, and I take it you already know these two lady killers." She said, winking at the two boys. They groaned in unison, putting petulantly.

"We may be in our twenties," Embry grumbled. "But she still treats us like were sixteen again." Seth nodded solemnly, but was secretly eyeing the contents of the pot with a wistful eye.

"You girls hungry?" Emily asked. I shook my head, willing Allison to stay quiet. No such luck. "Just a tad, but not that much." Emily smiled largely, one side of her face lifting up.

"The spaghetti won't be done for awhile," Emily said. Seth grinned at this, having finally learned what was in the pot. "So, how would you two like some brownies?" Allison nodded her head enthusiastically, and I resisted the urge to roll my eyes.

Emily grabbed a plated covered with plastic wrapping and sat it in front of us. "It was supposed to be for Paul, but he hasn't bothered to come to pick it up, so it's been sitting there for two days. Knowing him, he won't want it until he can't have it, so it's pointless. So, go ahead and eat up. I'll make him some more tomorrow." And with that, she went back to stirring her pot of noodles.

Seth laughed, the sound reverberating off of the walls. "Oh, Paul is gonna be so _ticked_ when he learns that you gave away his brownies, Em. Hey, Embry, remember the time when Paul lost it when Quil ate his hot dog?"

Embry let out a loud guffaw, and I saw him wrap a large arm around Allison, who didn't protest in the slightest bit. I bit into a sinfully delicious browning, and couldn't help but narrow my eyes at Embry.

Embry launched into a detailed story of how they had had a bonfire a few months back. Paul had gone off to get his cell phone out of his truck and Quil had mistaken Paul's food for his own and ate it. So when Paul came back, complaining about how hungry he was and how long it had been since he last ate, but then saw that his plate was empty. Seth interrupted Embry to describe the look on Quil's face—a mixture of guilt and apologetic—and how Paul chased him around the beach for hours until he finally cooled down. Allison was laughing so hard that tears were streaming down her face, and I couldn't help but giggle a few times myself.

Paul sounded like a fierce character, and was told to have a fiery temper that could come and go in an instant. He sounded vicious, and I wasn't exactly jumping at the chance to meet him. My hand reached out to grab a brownie, but was met with only hard, cold glass. Too bad. Perhaps I should ask Emily the recipe? I tuned back into yet another Paul story that Embry decided to tell.

I'm not sure how long had passed—how could it fly past so quickly?—before we heard the front door slam. I froze as I heard the loud footsteps that were headed this way. Seth snickered, and I didn't miss how Embry tightened his arm around Allison in a protective gesture. _Crap_.

"Hey, Emily. I came to pick up my—" Paul paused, and I could only imagine what he was taking in: an empty plate where his brownies used to be. My hair fell in my face, and I looked down at the floor, wringing my hands nervously in my lap. "Who. Stole. My. Brownies?" Paul's voice was quiet, and I had to strain to hear him. "Who stole my damn brownies?!"

This time, it was much, much louder, and I barely contained my yelp. I heard Embry try to calm him down, but I could feel Paul's eyes on me, and on the now empty plate in front of me.

I sensed more than heard his footsteps, this time more quiet. He stood right behind me, his eyes boring into my back. My muscles tensed, and I squinted my eyes shut. Paul didn't move, and I knew he was waiting for me to turn around. _Oh my gosh! He's going to EAT me!_ My mind screeched. _I'm gonna die! _I turned my head around slowly, my face draining of all color as I finally got a good look at him.

Paul had sharp, menacing features. He had the same russet skin the others had, but his was stretched over high, sharp cheekbones. Under unruly, black hair, dark eyes glittered at me, and his thin lips were pursed in a tight line. After a moment, his jaw went slack, and eyes widened as he saw me. _I'M GONNA DIE! _

The instinct to run was undeniable and strong. "I, um, g-gotta g-go!" I squeaked, quickly jumping out of my seat and running out the door. I heard Ally yelling after me, and I didn't care that I was running out into the dark, into the woods, because I found something that scared me even more: Paul.

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**Okay, so a really short chapter, but the next one is longer. It would probably be my second favorite chapter because it was so much fun writing. So, to make me get off my lazy ass and post the next chapter quicker, please press that lovely green button below and review. It would make me so happy. ;)**


	4. Chapter Four

**Author's Note**

**Wow, I LOVED the reviews I received and the fact I have new people reading the story. At least now I know that this story won't be an epic fail. You guys make me feel so warm and fuzzy. So, I have decided to update the story semi-post haste. C:  
**

**But, just to forewarn you guys, this chapter is just a tad crazy. [Psh, right.]**

**And, Manic-Cheese-Fairy, I thought about doing that before I wrote this chapter, but I didn't want to rush it. Instead, I shall just prolong it—I know, I'm pretty freaking evil—but we'll get to some Paul action VERY soon. ;]**

**I won't be doing the shout-outs this chapter, possibly the next though, seeing as how I love you guys so much. But you know who you are! So, as always....**

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Twilight, even though I wish I did. **

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**Attack of the Clones**

"Cassie! Cassidy Anne Barker! Get out from there right now!" I was hiding in my closet—how low do I sound right now?—but I had a perfectly good reason: Paul. After my cowardly disappearance from Emily's, I ran through the woods at breakneck speed, and made it to our car in record time. I hid in the back seat until Allison arrived, out of breath and cursing. It had been two weeks, and I unashamedly admit to you now that most of the time since then was spent here in my closet.

"Come on, Cassie! It isn't like he's gonna come here and attack you!" Allison reasoned. I heard shuffling from the other side of the door.

"She's still in there, huh?" Embry asked. My lips pursed, and I narrowed my eyes at the door. He had been coming around more and more often as of late. I couldn't say that I hated him like I did when we first met—actually, I kind of liked him—but what I didn't like was how Allison had been spending more time with him instead of me.

Al sighed, and I could picture her nodding her head in dismay. I huddled against the wall, wrapping my arms around my legs, bringing up my knees so I could rest my chin on them. Paul had come over, once, and I had hastily ducked for cover. (This time under my bed, you know, to confuse him.) Luckily, Embry had been over and had finally made himself useful and got rid of Paul.

When Embry got back inside, he knelt down by my bed and tried to drag me out, which resulted in some bruising and bloodshed, and I got to stay under my bed. Embry stayed by me—Allison had gone out to get my favorite treat, Ben and Jerry's, to try and lure me out from my hiding place—and he tried to defend his friend. Paul was actually a good guy (I know. I laughed there, too.), and he could actually be nice. You know, just not when someone took his food, looked at him wrong, looked at him period, et cetera.

But, by taking his food, I knew I had committed some deadly sin against Paul, broken a cardinal rule, and I knew that he was going to come after me. Let's face it: all bad guys do. It's just a matter of how and when he's going to kill me. I'm already suspicious the Embry is helping him out. You know, to get my defenses down, think Paul's nice and then, _BAM!_ I'm dead and floating in the ocean with the fish.

They both have what police like to call _motive_. Paul, because I ate his brownies, and Embry, well, with me dead, he gets to move in with Allison. So, if I _do_ die, I'm going to be spiteful and haunt him for the rest of his life. How do you like them apples?

"This is ridiculous, Cass," Allison grumbled. "You need to come out of there." I opened the door just a crack to throw her my meanest glare.

"It's only ridiculous to you, Al, 'cause you don't have some psycho after you just because you _ate his brownies_." I slammed the door shut.

"Cassie, seriously, he isn't really a bad g—"

"Stuff it, Call! I'm onto you and your little underhanded schemes!" I accused in a shrill voice. My nails dug into my skin, and I was feeling more than just a little paranoid at this point.

"Well, Cassie," Embry said in a low voice. "If you won't come out, then I'll just have to call reinforcement." I snorted. What was he going to do? Call the police on me? Hah!

There was shuffling—Embry and Allison picking themselves off of the floor—and then I heard my door shut as they left. I smiled triumphantly, and did a little dance. I picked up my book—_When It Happens_—and flashlight and began to read.

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I don't know how long I had been in the closet—I had fallen asleep about ten minutes after Embry and Allison left—but my stiff body told me it had been awhile.

A few minutes later, after some interesting stretching, I heard heavy footsteps. Embry. I rolled my eyes. He wasn't going to get me out so easily. My door opened slowly, and he walked in cautiously. Really, how dramatic can he get?

The heavy footsteps came towards the closet door, and then stopped. I rolled my eyes. There was a heavy knock, once, then twice. I kicked the door, making it tremble.

"Cassie?"

That was definitely not Embry.

This was much deeper, one that I didn't recognize. My brows crushed together, but I didn't move.

"She's not going to come out so easily, Jake," I heard Embry say. "I think you need to apply some force." My eyes widened at this, and I instantly made a vow to kill him while he slept.

"Oh, really? Didn't you say that she likes to use her nails?" Jake asked, sounding just a little worried. "I don't want to get some disease, you know."

What did he just say?

"Well, Quil and Seth can _get out of the kitchen and help for once in their pathetic lives_!" The last part was loud, yelling so that the other two could hear him.

Did he just say what I think he said? I don't have a disease. I'm a human being, not some rabid animal. _Oh, he is so going to get it_.

There were more heavy footsteps, and rowdy laughter. I heard Quil and Seth walk into my room, and move closer to the closet. I gripped my legs harder, watching the door fearfully. It was quiet, and I reached my hand to touch the doorknob. Maybe they left—

The door wrenched open, and a pair of giant hands suddenly seized me. I squealed, scratching the arms frantically. I heard the kidnapper grunt, but his hold on me didn't relax. Three more pairs of hands grabbed me, stilling my arms so I couldn't sink my nails into their skin.

"Allison!" Embry called. "Allison, come get your psycho friend!"

I was thrown onto the bed, and I burrowed under my thick blankets. No way was I going to get raped! "Cass? Cassie? Are you okay?" Al asked. She grabbed the blanket and pulled it back.

"Yeah," I grumbled, pouting. Ally laughed, petting my head.

"Want some Ben and Jerry's?" she asked.

I nodded a little too enthusiastically. "My two favorite men. They never let me down." Allison and I giggled, but that stopped when I saw what was in front of me.

"Clones!" I gasped. It was true; each and every one of them looked _just alike_! Their heights varied, and so did their hair lengths, but this was ridiculous! One of them—either Quil or Jake—snorted, raising his eyebrows incredulously at me.

"Clones?" he asked—definitely Jake. "That's an insult!"

Quil rolled his eyes at him. "That's not an insult; it's a _compliment_. By saying that we look alike, you looking like me, that's the ultimate flattery! I mean, who wouldn't want to look this effortlessly hot?"

"Oh, _please_, Quil. You are definitely not hot." Seth teased. Quil gasped, eyes going wide.

"But, Seth! I thought what we had was special!"

"Now you're just being stupid."

"I know you are, but what am I?"

I looked at Al, scared. "Why are the clones fighting?" I whispered. Allison laughed loudly.

"Oh, these are just the guys." She said vaguely. I narrowed my eyes at her, and she rolled her eyes.

"That's Quil," she said, pointing to the one by Embry. He waved. "That's Jacob, and you know that's Seth and Embry."

I glowered at Jacob—the tallest. "You said I had diseases." I accused. Jacob's face went blank, then grinned sheepishly at me. "Yeah, sorry about that."

Seth rubbed his hands together. "Okay, how 'bout that Ben and Jerry's?"

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"Hands off, Seth!" I growled, blocking my bowl of ice cream from his spoon. He pouted at me, but otherwise left my bowl alone. Quil guffawed.

"Dude, she's just like Paul!" he chortled. Jake laughed, nodding his head.

"She's perfect for him!"

"Yeah! No wonder he imp—" Quil and Jake smacked Seth on the back of his head, prompting an undignified yelp.

"So," Jake said, changing the subject. "When do you think Embry and Allison will be back?"

Quil grinned. "Not for awhile, I should think. Embry's been waiting for some alone time, so I don't think he would like to waste it, you know what I mean?" he quirked his eyebrows suggestively, and I barely contained a groan. I really didn't want to know that.

"Hey, Cass. Do you want to come over to Emily's today? She's making meatloaf instead of spaghetti." Seth asked, trying to tempt me uselessly.

"Will Paul be over?" I asked, grimacing. Seth shrugged his shoulders noncommittally, as in, yes, most likely. "I think I'll pass." I said, slumping down in my seat, swirling my spoon in the liquid-y ice cream. Jake put a large hand on my head, mussing my hair slightly.

"Aw, don't worry, kiddo," he said. I narrowed my eyes contemptuously at him, which he ignored. "If Paul tries to mess with you, we'll intervene. But, I think he would really like seeing you there."

"He would only like seeing me there if my mouth was stuffed with an apple and I was roasting over an open fire." I grumbled.

"Dude," Quil guffawed. "Can't you just imagine that?"

Seth laughed. "Totally! I could see him roasting marshmallows over her and laughing evilly, you know, like Dr. Evil off of Austin Powers?" The guys apparently loved that, and started laughing so hard that I was afraid that the house would fall down on us.

"Yeah, yeah," I grumbled. "Go ahead and have your fun, but I'm not going." Jake sobered up instantly, and regarded me with a solemn expression.

"We were just kidding, Cass. He wouldn't do any of that stuff to you. Paul just really, _really_ wants to get to know you. He can be a really nice guy." What's with all the pressure from him?

"Yeah, as long as he has his food in front of him, which you kind of ate, then he isn't really nic—ouch! What was that for?!" Seth howled, rubbing the back of his head.

"Don't pay attention to him," Quil advised. "He was dropped on his head when he was a kid."

Jake snorted. "More like thrown across the room." Seth pouted, crossing his arms over his chest. I giggled, patting his hair. Seth had given me an idea, and I wasn't too eager about it, but hopefully it would set things right between Paul and I.

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**Well, this is my second favorite chapter I have written so far because it was so fun and crazy to write. As for why Cassie is so paranoid and just a smidgen out of it in this chapter is because she was cooped up in a closet, so I highly doubt a lot of oxygen made it to her brain. xD **

**I pretty much blame myself for the idiocy of this chapter because I pretty much wrote it at, like, three o'clock in the morning. **

**[Interesting Fact] : Originally, instead of it being Quil, Seth, and Jake who got Cassie out the closet, it was supposed to be Paul. BUT, it didn't turn out to well and I felt like I was rushing the story. Plus, I had to introduce the guys a some point in the game. The earlier, the better. **

**So, thank you guys for reading this chapter [hopefully], and the next chapter is going to be Cassie's plan. We'll just see how it works out. I just feel so evil right now... Can you guys guess what it is?  
**

**So, please review for the story and make me one happy chick! 8D  
**


	5. Chapter Five

**Author's Note:**

**Okay, this is a _really_ short chapter, so I don't expect it to be a big hit. But, seeing as how it's been two days and I have gotten some freaking awesome good reviews, I thought I should at least update. So, I'm going to make this short, sweet, and simple. Shout outs to:**

**Manic-Cheese-Fairy: Thanks for the outstanding reviews. You really make my day. C:  
**

**Gryffindor Gurl2: As always, thanks to my faithful reviewer who has reviewed since chapter uno. Your damned freaking awesome. :D  
**

**AshleeS: Thanks for that awesome review with so many exclamation points. [I love exclamation points. (!)]**

**cheerleading847: Thanks for that spirited review, and even quoting me--the ultimate flattery. ;] Also, you were correct with your prediction. Have I become predictable?! But, you said that you didn't see how it would work out. So, read ahead. C:  
**

**katevs: You were right, too, though not as specific. Thanks for reviewing. :D**

**jalapeno1011: :D Thanks for reviewing! Hopefully you'll keep reading.  
**

**Twilightaddict131: Your review was spectacular, and thanks for the virtual brownie. I tried to eat it, but I just slobbered all over my computer screen. [: &&**

**Cary44, Jacqulin, SARAH DB, and Starkissedtulip: Thanks for putting me on your alerts. 8D [Forgive me if I missed anyone--I don't think I did, but I might have.]  
**

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT own SM's Twilight saga, though I would be lucky to wake in an alternate universe where the Cullen men existed. **

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**Peace Offering **

I drove slowly, biting my lip nervously. In the passenger seat was a Glad plastic-wrapped dish of brownies. I had gotten Paul's address from Emily, whose smile I could hear even over the telephone. It was early in the morning—barely eight o'clock—and from what Emily has told me, Paul likes to sleep until the afternoon. I would be safe, and I could make a run for it.

I drove through the thick woods—of course he would have to live there, of all places. I steered the car through the confusing curbs of the road before I came upon a brick house. It had a front porch and a truck, but that was about it. The place looked so stringent, not a hint of personal touch or anything. It made it all the more intimidating.

I parked behind his truck, quietly turning off the engine. I stealthily got out of my car with the brownies, making sure that his name was clear on the index card I shoved in there earlier, and made my way up to his door. The steps creaked only slightly, and I scanned the area for somewhere to put the dish. No, not right by the door—he could step on it and tick him off even more. Not the railing—it could fall or get knocked down—no, no and no. Why did it have to be so hard?!

Finally, I saw a chair placed right by the door, and I knew that it was good as it gets. It was like I could hear a chorus of angels as the light from the sun fell on it in all of its wooden glory. I quietly thanked God as I gingerly set the plate on the seat, and did a mental dance of joy and victory.

I turned and made my way down the steps, a triumphant smile on my face. I survived. _I survived!_ I should be on the news, on the front of every magazine, praised for my bravery and success! I was on cloud nine.

"Cassidy?"

The smile fell from my face, and my muscles tensed. Aw, shit. I really was going to die.

"Cassidy?" Paul called again, concern lacing his tone. I turned toward him with a shaky smile. His hair was sticking up in every direction possible and there were dark circles under his eyes. He looked terrible.

I pointed a shaky finger at the chair. "Brownies." Paul turned to look at the plate, and I used that as my escape. I jumped into my car, locking the doors and pulling out into the road smoothly but quickly. Only then did I caution a look in my rear view mirror. He was watching after the car, the note in his hand. I knew what he had read, and the false cheeriness in the note rang in my mind.

_Sorry about eating your brownies, Paul! Hopefully this will make up for eating them and you'll be able to forgive me. _

_-Cassie_

I was so screwed.

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**Okay, very very short chapter. BUT, the next chapter--now my second favorite because I wrote a chapter I like even better after it--is WAY longer than this one, and I've decided to either post late tonight or sometime tomorrow evening. [HINT: it depends on reviews.] So, please review, even if it's just for the next chapter. :)**


	6. Chapter Six

**Author's Note: **

**Gah! I've been scolded! Oh noes! It seems as though Cary44 has put me in my place, and called me out on my naughtiness. She's right, and I am a naughty noodle and I deserve to be kicked out of the pot. I've got to be careful when posting my story. My dad gets home early--he's due anytime now--and he HATES Twilight. He's super duper totally religious and thinks it's anti-Christian. Pft. I know. That's what I said. So, being even naughtier, I've read the whole series and own them, hiding them a place so secret I can't even remember where I put them. Genius, no? So, for you, I'm being extra sneaky and posting this chapter. ;)  
**

**Yodes, you are right. Cassie is manic. At first, she was supposed to be shy, but I have a tendency to write my chapters at night, and well, after dark, I tend to get a little...._out of control_. Thanks for reviewing, and I can't wait to hear from you in the future. As for the rest of you guys who reviewed the fifth chapter in the little time I've had it posted [Six reviews! BOOYAH!], thank you SO VERY MUCH. I thought it would get, like, only one review.  
**

**So, this is my SECOND favorite chapter so far, and the next is my favorite. So, tally ho!**

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Twilight, only the books. And if my dad ever found out, I would be duly disowned and become a hobo. So, if you ever see me on the streets taking bread crumbs from pigeons, you know what happened.**

**Oh! P.S. : Time skip. Her opinion has changed of Paul---at least for the beginning. She'll warm up, though. So, don't be surprised if you feel like she is having mood-swings. She _is_ manic. [Thank you, Yodes, for that wonderful word! I love it! Manic****manic****manic****manic****manic****....] ;]  
**

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**The Grocery Store and Twenty Questions**

I was a nervous wreck. My hands shook every time I heard the phone, and it was all because of that stupid idiot Paul. It's been three weeks since the 'peace offering', and weird things keep happening. First, I keep seeing Paul _everywhere_, even when he's not even there. Just this morning, I looked out my window, and he was in the woods. But once I blinked, he was gone.

Second, Embry and the guys keep goading, _pressuring_, for me to get to know Paul, and if that wasn't bad enough, he was talking about me. Not bad, like I had suspected, but _good things_. Like, for instance, what a great cook I was. And—this one made me flush scarlet from embarrassment—how I was a fast runner. Seth loved that one.

And, lastly, the phone kept ringing. Consistently. We had about thirty calls a day, yet when we picked up, _no one was there_. The caller would hang up right when we answered, and we would sit there waiting for the inevitable dial tone.

"If I ever find out who keeps calling, I'll castrate him," Allison slammed down the phone in irritation. "Seriously. What's his deal?" Embry wrapped his arm around her shoulders and kissed her hair gently.

"Maybe he's just shy," Quil said, winking slyly at me. I scowled at him, bringing the knife down harder than intended onto the apple I was chopping up. I knew what—or, rather, who—he was implying, and I really felt like throwing the knife at him.

Paul, shy? No, definitely not so.

"Cassie," Seth called lazily from the living room. "Do you want to come to a bonfire tonight? Emily will be there."

"No!" I yelled back at him. I knew who else would be there. I heard Seth grunt something low and unintelligible, and Jake snickered.

"Hey, Cass. Can I borrow twenty bucks? I want to go to the movies." Allison said, hunting around for the car keys. Before I could respond, Embry cut in.

"Ally, I've got enough for two of us, so why don't we go together?" Smooth. Then, a sight my eyes beheld that was so shocking, and so rare: Al _blushed_. The girl, who was the self-proclaimed America's Next Top Cougar, was falling for a guy!

Allison smiled, the blush still apparent on her cheeks. "Uh, yeah. Sure. Let me just grab my purse."

After she left, Quil high-fived Embry. "Way to go, man! But tonight, you should really stick it to her!" The knife came down and the sharp edge stuck in the board.

"Stick _what_ to her exactly?" I snarled, trying my best to loosen the knife from the wood. Embry's face colored—quite a feat with his dark russet skin—and Jake hooted with laughter. "Yeah, what are you two conspiring?" he teased.

With a hard tug, the board released the knife, and I waved it threateningly at Embry. "Try anything," I spat through gritted teeth. "And I will castrate you with this knife." It came down with a loud thunk onto the apple, and I pursed my lips in satisfaction when Embry flinched.

"Okay, Embry! Let's get going—hey, what's wrong?" Allison asked, eyeing me suspiciously. I smiled innocently at her, shrugging my shoulders.

"Cassie here was about to go mafia on Embry, is all." Jake snickered, and I stuck my tongue out at him. Al thumped me on the back of my head, and I mock-scowled at her. "Hey, watch who you're thumping, especially when they hold a knife." I heard a low rumble come from Embry's chest from behind, but I ignored him.

Ally giggled, ruffling my hair gently. "Love you, too. We'll try not to be late."

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The guys and I hung around in the living room. Quil snagged an apple slice from my bowl, and I kicked his shin. "Quit stealing my food."

"But I'm hungry!"

"Well, go to your own house and eat there."

"But I can't cook, and fruit isn't gonna hold me over!" Quil whined, wrapping a large, sweltering arm around me.

Jake's stomach grumbled loudly. "Ugh, I haven't eaten in awhile. Hey, Cass? Can you fix up some food for us?"

I stared at him incredulously. "Do I look like your damn maid?"

Seth eyed me with a critical look. "Well, with the dark colored clothes and your hair up like that…." I smacked his arm, and he chuckled good-naturedly. Quil's stomach rumbled like thunder.

"Can you—"

"No."

Seth's stomach growled loudly, and he groaned. "Please?"

"No."

"Please?"

"Hell no."

"Are you sure?"

"Uh, _yeah_." It was silent for a moment as I flipped channels.

"…Please?"

I threw the remote at his head, disappointed that he caught it skillfully before it crashed into his forehead. "_Fine_," I said, ignoring the hysterical cheers from the guys. "But I get to choose what we eat an—"

"Oh, and whatever you get, get a lot of it." Seth said, clicking away on the remote. I threw an over-stuffed pillow at his head.

"_Like I said_," I seethed. "I'm not paying for it." There were groans, which I ignored as I held my hand out, grabbing the cash from their reluctant hands.

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Rain pelted the windshield as I drove the car through the small reservation. The sky was blocked by huge, puffy dismal clouds that were swollen with water to the point it looked like they would combust. I scowled as I pulled into a small grocery store, the parking lot nearly empty except for a few cars.

When I got in, I was drenched; my clothes soaked through and sticking to me like a second skin. My teeth chattered as I grabbed various ingredients for lasagna that were scattered aimlessly around the store.

The shelves were _really_ tall, and I was lucky that most of them had been located on the bottom or mid-shelves, but the last ingredient I really need was located on the very top shelf, a place I couldn't reach no matter how much I stretched. I stood on my tiptoes, trying in vain to reach the top. Right when I got close—well, as close as I would ever get—a russet arm reached out and grabbed at it with ease.

"Need this?" Paul asked, handing me olive oil. I scowled at him, snatching the bottle from him. "Thanks." I grumbled. I turned on heel and hastily made my way to the line at the cash register. _Don't follow me…don't follow me…_

"Do you need help paying?" Damn! I turned to glare at Paul.

"No, I've got it." I shifted the items in my arms so that I had better hold on them. Paul sighed, saying something under his breath I couldn't quite catch, and grabbed some from me. I stomped his foot, but he wasn't fazed.

"Quit being stubborn." Paul said, glaring at me exasperatedly. I stuck my tongue out at him, then smiling in relief when it was our turn to check out.

"Good evening," the boy said, ringing up some items. "I hope you are having a good day today?" I smiled at him, and made small conversation with him. He really was quite cute, with dark hair that had a slight wave to it and dimples when he smiled at me.

He bagged the ingredients—sending a smile at me again—and handed them to me. "Hope to see you again."

I said bye to him and walked off to the exit. I turned to hand some bags over to Paul, but then I saw his figure quaking, his fists balled at his sides. His face was pulled down in a fierce scowl, and his dark eyes kept darting back to where the boy was checking out more items from an elderly couple.

"Paul?" I asked, nudging him with an elbow. "You okay?" A muscle in Paul's cheek twitched, and his eyes glittered dangerously. I sat the bags on the floor and put a hand on top of his fisted hand. The reaction was instant; his muscles loosened, and the severe look disappeared from his eyes. His hand linked with mine, squeezing gently.

"Yeah, I just don't like how he was looking at you." Paul replied honestly. An unknown emotion swept through me and stuck in my belly, a warm and odd feeling making me tingle and blood rush to my cheeks.

I snatched my hand away from his, pretending I didn't notice the hurt flash in his eyes, and pretended that I didn't feel guilty. Not even a little. "Could you carry a few of these for me, please?"

Paul helped me, and even helped loading them into the trunk. "So," I said, trying to start a conversation. "Where's your truck?"

"Back at the house." Paul said stonily, pushing down the trunk door.

"What? So you _walked_ here?" I asked, disbelief coloring my tone. Paul scowled at me, nodding his head rigidly. My eyebrows pushed together, and I bit my lip nervously. I hated it when people were angry with me.

Paul turned to walk towards the road, nearly there when I called out to him. "Hey, Paul! Do you want to come over and eat with the guys?"

He turned around to eye me critically. I rushed to explain. "I mean, it's the least I could do for you helping me out and all." Paul snorted, and I could feel myself blush. I looked down, nudging some loose gravel with the toe of my shoe.

I felt something hot grab my hand, and I looked to see Paul looming above me, a soft smile on his face. "Yeah, that would be nice," he dropped my hand, and headed over to the driver's side. "But only if I get to drive."

I wrinkled my nose slightly, but I tossed him the keys. Paul deftly caught them mid-air, and lowered himself into the car. I walked to the passenger's side and hopped into the seat.

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"Lets play twenty questions." I said, breaking the silence. Paul raised an eyebrow, but nodded his head in agreement.

"Okay I'll start." I said when Paul groaned in protest.

"Why do you get to start?" he asked, a small pout on his face. I chuckled, shaking my head at him. "Because I thought of it first, and I'm curious about a couple of things."

Paul tensed, and his hands tightened on the steering wheel. "Like what?"

"Like, what's your favorite color?" I asked. Paul scoffed, and raised an eyebrow at me. "Is that it? No hard questions or third degree?"

I rolled my eyes at him. "Those come later; right now, I'm trying to make you comfortable and ease you into the game. Now, quit changing the subject and answer the damned question."

His response was immediate. "Gray."

I scoffed, disbelieving. "_Gray_? Are kidding me? That has to be the most awful color you could even like."

Paul growled. "What's wrong with gray?"

"Oh, nothing's wrong with gray, except that it's boring and dull, and only used to describe things filled with gloom and doom."

"…. Now you're just being dramatic."

"Whatever. It's my turn to ask a question." I said.

"What! It's my turn to ask a question!" Paul protested loudly. I resisted the urge to cover my ears.

"No, Paul, you already asked your question. And I quote, 'What's wrong with gray?', end quote." I informed him. He grumbled something, but otherwise he let it go.

"How old are you?"

"Twenty-six. You?"

"Eighteen."

Paul smirked. "Barely legal." I stuck my tongue out at him, and he chuckled. And so the game went until he pulled up to the house.

"How do you know where I live?" I asked, confused.

Paul smiled sheepishly at me. "The guys kind of told me awhile back."

I frowned, but let it go. Come to think of it, they probably even told him I'd be at the grocery store, too. I popped the trunk and started to grab groceries. I just hoped that the guys didn't do anything stupid when I was gone.

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**END CHAPTER **

**So, how did you guys like it? And did the guys do something exceptionally naughty while Cassie was gone? You bet your ass they did. But...what? Ponder on this, readers, while I go crazy and write some more chapters. Drama will be coming soon, just to add some spice. **

**I know someones going to ask why Cassie didn't ask Paul some vital questions such as : Was he the one calling/hanging up?, et cetera. But, like Cassie said earlier, she's trying to ease him into the game. There will be more of the game 'Twenty Questions'.  
**

**So, if you love me and this story, please press that lovely green and gray button below and review. Come on, it won't bite...hard.**


	7. Chapter Seven

**Author's Note:**

**Wow, Yodes. I think you're more manic/mental than Cassie. [That's major flattery right there. C:] Well, all the things you guessed put what I made them do to shame. But, I'll have to keep those ideas in mind when I write my next imprint story. [Yes, there will be one. I think it's going to be for Seth...]**

**xD Wonderful guess, Manic-Cheese-Fairy. Should've been done, but I was super hyper [you'll definitely see it at the end of the chapter] when I wrote this. If I could, they would get busy 'til they were dizzy. Just joking, maybe....**

**So, thank you for the seven people who reviewed this chapter: Yodes, Jacqulin, Cary44, Gryffindor Gurl2 [as always. C:], alyse, Manic-Cheese-Fairy, and the most recent but certainly not the least: jjfad. You guys are freaking awesome. **

**So, in this chapter, I'm HOPING I can break my highest record of reviews for this chapter. [The highest for one chapter is seven.] But, no pressure. It's just all my hopes and dreams depend on it. No pressure...**

**So, march on and read, dammit!**

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Twilight in any shape or form. But, if I did write the saga, I would've at least put twelve pages describing Edward naked in each one of the books. xD  
**

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**Movies and Sleepovers**

I walked into the house cautiously, bracing for something bad to happen. Actually it was kind of quiet. "Did they leave?" I asked no one in particular. Paul smiled, and hope glimmered in his eyes. I scoffed and headed towards the kitchen. I pulled ingredients out of the bags, and Paul did the same.

"While I get this ready, can you go see where they are?" I asked. Paul nodded and headed out the kitchen.

I opened the recipe book for lasagna and skimmed through it. It would take an hour and a half for it to be ready for eating. So four hungry guys could e—

There was a loud crash from upstairs and a loud rumbling like thunder. I dropped the book and ran upstairs to my room—the only room that had its door open. The sight that I saw made me want to laugh and scream at the same time. My clothes and magazines were scattered everywhere. The shade on my lamp was crooked, and my drapes were hanging off of the windowsill. Precious family pictures that I had neatly arranged had fallen onto the floor, and I wouldn't be surprised if the frames were cracked or broken. Those parts made me want to scream.

But what made me want to laugh was that how Quil, Seth, and Jake each had a pair of my bras on and were cowering in front of Paul. Quil was sporting a hot pink silk bra; Seth was stretching out a sheer bra my mom got for me, and Jake was wearing my black lace bra.

Paul didn't think it was funny.

He was shaking again, but this time the tremors were more violent. His lips were parted over sharp white teeth, and his eyes glittered dangerously. "What," he spat. "Do you think you are doing?" He loomed over the three, and his fists balled.

"We didn't think you would come…?" Seth squeaked. Jake smiled disarmingly at Paul, holding his hands up in a peace offering kind of way. "Come on, Paul. We were just playing around. No harm done."

Paul's frame started to shake even harder, and it looked like he was blurring at the edges. I reached out a hand to touch his hesitantly. This time, he didn't stop shaking, but his tremors weren't as intense. "Come on, Paul. They're just messing around. How about you go to the living room and pick out a movie for us to watch?" I rubbed smooth circles into his rough palms, and he calmed down. He sent one last venomous look at the guys before stalking out to the living room. I turned to their incredulous faces with what I hoped was a stern expression.

"As for you three nitwits, get out of my bras and get out of my room or else there will be no food." Three bras flew in three different directions and they zoomed past me. I rolled my eyes, giggling. They were such idiots.

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The lasagna was made in one hour and forty-five minutes, and gone in less than ten. Seth rubbed his stomach with a satisfied smile on his face.

"That was lip smacking good food, Cass," he said. "Will you marry me?" Paul let out a low growl, but I ignored him.

"Sorry, Seth, but I'm taken," I teased. "I'm afraid that my heart will always belong to one man—Patrick Dempsey." The guys laughed, with the exception of Paul, who glared at me.

Thunder rumbled outside, and lightning flashed. The rain pelted the roof, and I worried about Allison. Was she okay?

"Okay, what movie did you pick out, Paul?" I asked. Paul's face cleared, and he grabbed a DVD case off of the end table by the sofa and showed us the cover: _Nightmare on Elm Street_. I internally shuddered as Quil whooped with joy.

"Yeah, let's watch this bad boy! Gimme!" he said, snatching the case from Paul's hand. He popped the disk into the opened tray, and I sunk lower into my seat. This was going to be a _long_ night.

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I peeked from behind the pillow to see the credits rolling. Quil was laughing at me. "Aw, our little Cassie is scared of a horror movie! Oh, this is rich!"

Paul threw a pillow at him, then turned to me with a concerned expression. "Are you okay?" he asked softly. I nodded my head and hid my face back into the comfortable pillow.

"Hey, lets watch another movie," I heard Jake say. "This one not as scary." Bless him! He rummaged through our collection, scrutinizing each cover with a critical eye.

"How about…." He grabbed a case at random. "Dodge Ball?" There was a chorus of agreement and Jake popped it in.

"Put it in Spanish!" Seth said. Paul raised an eyebrow at him.

"Seth," he said slowly. "Since when do you speak Spanish?" Seth snorted, rolling his eyes. "Since _forever_, Paul. I really am quite fluent in the language, thank you very much."

"He means since he started trying to impress a girl." Jake clarified, smirking. Paul sniggered, and Seth glared at him.

"Hey, women love a man who is bilingual." he said defensively.

"Do you even know _how_ to spell 'bilingual'?" Quil asked. "'Cause I sure don't, and I'm the smartest one in here."

Seth ignored the last part. "I sure do: B-I-L-ingual."

Paul snorted a laugh. "Seth, this time you really have went up a level on the stupid scale."

Seth muttered something like, "shut up," but otherwise kept quiet. Jake pressed the 'play' button, and the movie began.

My eyelids drooped, and I felt my head nodding forward. I fought to keep awake, but sleep was quickly winning me over. My last conscious thought was that I suddenly felt really warm…

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In my dream, it was really, really hot. And then there were these odd bright flashes of light that were there one second, gone the next. They kept coming, and I was starting to feel irritated. What kind of dream was this? I groaned, squeezing my eyes tighter. There was chortling, and the onslaught of flashes continued. What the…?

I opened my eyes and came face to face with a camera.

"What are you guys doing?" I mumbled sleepily. My only answer was resounding laughter, and something tightened around my waist. My eyes widened, and I cautioned a look underneath me.

_I was lying on top of Paul!_

"Gah!" I cried, flopped onto the floor. The guys bust out laughing, and I kicked a shin, hurting myself more than I hurt the receiver. I glared at Seth—the culprit with the camera. "Give me," I snarled. "The damned camera." I made a grab for it as Seth pulled back his arm, dangling it in the air.

"Nun-uh. You're gonna have to jump for it, missy." He chortled infuriatingly at me, and I snatched at it. He tossed it to Quil, who tossed it to Jake as soon as I got to him.

"_Gimme!_" I wailed petulantly, not caring if I woke Paul. Hell, I wanted him to wake up and kick their asses. I looked to Paul, visualizing seeing him wake up in a glorious fit of rage, maybe even go Britney Spears on them. But, instead, he grunted, rolling over so his back was to us. My jaw dropped with a click. Quil guffawed loudly.

"See, there's the problem with your reasoning," Quil said smartly. "Let me explain the fatal flaw: Paul is _lazy_. He doesn't do anything—I know! What a pig!—and he's a deep sleeper. There is _nothing_ that will wake him up. Believe me, I tried! Once, I even sat on him, and I'm no light feather, let me tell you. He didn't even twitch in the slightest! So, as long as it is morning," he pointed to the digital clock on the VCR, reading 10:54 AM. "There is no way in chocolate-coated hell he's getting up."

I scowled at him, and I noticed that Jake had his arm down where I could reach the camera. If only I could distract him…

"So, you're saying that there is _no way_ we could wake him up?" I asked in a disbelieving voice. Seth scoffed, and Quil shook his head sadly. "Well, can you guys show me?" It was innocent enough of a question, and they fell for it. Jake stuffed the camera in his pocket—the wrist strap poking out—and waved a large hand in front of Paul's face. He thumped his forehead, making a loud thud, but Paul didn't even flinch.

Jake was about to reach to grab his arm when I seized my chance—and the camera—and ran outside with it. "Dude! She's getting away with the camera!" Seth yelled, and there were thunderous footsteps behind me. I squeaked, and ran around in the front yard. _Where do I go?! Where do I go?!_

I ran to the side house, and grabbed the only thing I could defend myself with—a water-loaded hose. I stuffed the camera in my pants pocket and I aimed it at the direction they came, and right when they came into view, I turned the dial to _jet_ and blasted. There was a yelp, and cursing.

"Damn, man! She has a hose!" Quil cried.

"Quit acting like a wuss and go get the camera!" Seth ordered. "It's my mom's, and she'll massacre me if it even has a little scratch!"

"Since when do you order me around, pup?!"

"Well," Jake said. "I outrank both of you, and I say that the both of you go get the camera and the damned hose!" There was grumbling, and a loud thump, but that changed when Seth and Quil charged from the corner and ran towards me. I pressed the trigger on the hose and frantically blasted the two.

They were only slightly fazed, yelping when the ice-cold water hit their skin, but they kept coming. Seth seized me up and Quil snatched the camera from me and tossed it to Jake. But, sadly for Seth, I still wielded the hose, and I stuck the nozzle into his pants and soaked him even more. He screamed and dropped me, and I tried to run, but Seth caught the belt loop on my pants and dragged me back. He had the hose, and I squirmed in his grasp.

Seth pulled back the neck of my shirt and stuck nozzle in their, pressing the trigger to release the icy water. I shrieked, trying to bat him away. It really _was_ cold.

"What the hell is going on here?"

I looked to see Paul, his expression a strange mixture of rage and incredulous as he took in the scene before us. Seth with a hose halfway down my shirt, and Quil and Jake…taking pictures.

"_Gimme!_" I cried. I wriggled out of Seth's grasp and pounced on Quil's back.

"Ah!" he screeched. "Get this crazy she-bat off of me!" Quil tossed the small camera to Jake, who hid it behind his back. I jumped off of Quil's back and chased the Jake's hands as he switched the camera between them back and forth.

"Come _on_!" I howled. "Paul, you're supposed to be helping!"

Paul scrunched his eyebrows, crossing his arms over his chest playfully. "Oh, and why?" I scowled at him. Traitor. "They were taking pictures of us!"

"Yeah! Do you wanna see?" Quil asked, grinning innocently.

"No! No he doesn't—"

"Sure."

Quil grabbed the camera from Jake skipped over to Paul, waving the small device at me tauntingly. He pressed a button—bringing up the pictures, I presumed—and handed it over to Paul with a huge smile.

Paul started pressing buttons, going through each image slowly. His face changed into some sort of emotion I couldn't recognize as he looked through the pictures, and I felt myself flush in embarrassment.

"Oo! Stop right there! That one is my favorite!" Quil squealed, and Paul chuckled. "Don't I look positively stunning in that picture?!" he gushed.

"What? Let me see!" I said, peeking over their overly muscled arms to see the picture. Of course it was of Paul and I, but it also had the guys in it, too. They surrounded the couch behind us and made silly faces. Seth did a peace sign with his eyes crossed, Jake was winking suggestively at the two of us, and Quil was posed with his chest out and pouting lips. Paul had his arms around me, a small smile on his face. My hands were palm-down on his chest—making me go red in the face—and I was smiling, too.

"Can I get a few copies of these pictures?" Paul asked, flipping to the next image. I snorted, turning my back towards them. "Yeah, but it'll be a couple of days." I heard Quil say, and they started talking, but I didn't care to listen. I just had revenge on my mind. The hose was on the ground after Seth dropped it to join in the picture escapade, and I casually picked it up.

"Oh, boys?" I called innocently. The guys turned to me, and their eyes widened when they realized the situation they were in.

"No, no, no, no, no, please! I'm too beautiful to die!" Quil begged, cupping his hands together and pouting. I smiled evilly at him, shaking my head. Seth grabbed the camera and turned his back just in time when I hit the trigger, releasing a stream of water onto the guys. There were curses and undignified squeals, and I laughed the whole time.

After a minute, I cut the water, giggling to myself. Seth still had his back turned towards me, his back drenched. But Paul's, Quil's, and Jake's expressions were hilarious. Quil and Jake looked just pissed off, glaring daggers at me, and Paul looked like his puppy had just died.

I dropped the house and smiled sheepishly at Paul. "Sorry, Paul, but there is nothing I can do for traitors." He still had that sad look on his face.

I felt slightly bad, so I walked over—cautiously, of course—to him, and hugged his waist—the highest I could go, for my stature. "Sorry, Paul." I apologized, smiling slightly.

"Aw," Jake cooed. "Group hug!" There was a chorus of 'aw's as the guys wrapped their arms around Paul and me and squeezed tightly. Quil twitched uncomfortably.

"Seth, dude, what is that poking into my thigh?" he squeaked, looking mortified. Seth grinned cheekily.

"Well, seeing as how my pants doesn't have any pockets, I had to find _somewhere_ to hide the camera so it wouldn't get soaked."

Paul looked horrified. "Dude, you didn't."

"I totally did," Seth did, pulling back from the group to show a huge bulge in the crotch of his pants. "And it feels like a dream." The guys looked repulsed.

"Well, Seth," I giggled. "I must say that I love the new improvement."

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**Okay, so was it good? Bad? Iffy? Well, tell me! I gots to know, people!**

**I really loved writing this chapter, but I have to warn you guys about next chapter. [THIS IS A MUST READ! YOU HAVE TO READ! PLEASE?!] :**

**Next chapter will be filled with ANGSTEHNESS. The next chapter will be a total one-eighty from this chapter. Any guesses as to why?**

**So, if you guys would please help Jeanne Anne out with my dreams, press the lovely green and gray button and compliment her beautiful mustache. [And mine, too, of course. xD]**


	8. Chapter Eight

**Author's Note:**

_**ANGSTEHNESS! That is what this chapter contains. ANGSTEHNESS! Okay, just trying to get it through. **_

**Okay, last chapter I asked if anyone could guess why--after I gave my first warning about this chapter--there will be ANGST in this chapter, and no one did. Ouch. Okay, so, moving on:**

**The Anonymous reviewer 'Anonymous' asked why Al and Embry didn't show up last chapter. They had, after all, gone to the movies and by the end of the chapter, it was morning. A keen reader, and the only one who pointed that out. Kudos. So, it will be explained in this chapter, especially why there is ANGSTEHNESS [Jessica language for 'Angst'].**

**So, we broke the record of highest reviews by one. Yep. One. Good job, guys. I feel happy! x]**

**As for all those who reviewed, you guys are pimpin' awesome! xD I also got new readers. Who knows? Maybe they'll REVIEW and tell me if they like my story. [Hint Hint.]**

**So, I'm not proud of this chapter. Angst and sadness is not my forte, so don't be surprised if you don't like it, either. And I wrote this chapter extra long--eight pages--because someone said I needed to write longer chapters. -cough-Yodes-cough- xD**

**Forgot to mention so last chapter, but the reviewer 'alyse' asked if Cassie's hair is long or short... it's long. x] I'd say it's maybe shoulder length, a little longer than that.  
**

**As always....**

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Twilight in any way. I own only Cassidy, Allison, Tommy [you'll know who that is in this chapter], and the plot. Oh, yeah, and the soggy cardboard box I live in. Hooray for mold!**

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**Explanations that can't be Explained**

The guys had left, a little reluctantly, awhile after we got back inside from our water fight. But, there was something that was nagging me: Where was Allison?

I knew Embry wouldn't do anything to her—it was pretty obvious he was in love with her—but she hadn't come home last night. Granted, it might have been because of the storm, but this was getting ridiculous. I picked up the phone and dialed her cell phone, tapping my foot impatiently against the tiled kitchen floor.

_Hi there! I'm sorry I can't come to the phone right now, and I'll try to get back to you later. Just leave me your name and number and I'll call you as soon as I can! Bye! _Beep.

I hung up and placed the phone back on its cradle. Her and Embry were probably just out having fun, doing…stuff.

I made me a bowl of popcorn and went to the living room and plopped down on the couch. I flipped the channels until I saw that Parental Control was on. I positively loved that show. As I got caught up in the lives of two parents and their son who had a shabby girlfriend, I didn't notice Al until she spoke.

"You have a good time yesterday?"

"Gah!" I jumped, popcorn flying everywhere. I was about to scold her when I took in her appearance: her hair was unbrushed, eyes puffy with dark rings under them, skin sallow, and overall absolutely drained. "What's wrong?" I will kill that idiot if he hurt her.

Al just bit her lip and fumbled with her fingertips. I cleared the scattered popcorn off of the couch and patted the seat next to me. Faster than I could blink, Ally ran over to me and wrapped her arms around my neck, sobbing. I rubbed her back, making comforting noises like my mother used to do for me. For over a hour, I rocked her back and forth as she sobbed wordlessly. I hated seeing her like this, but I knew better than to pester her; she would tell me when she was ready.

"C-Cassie?" she hiccuped painfully. "Can I t-tell you n-now?" I squeezed her shoulders tighter, and they felt like nothing more than bird bones under my small hands.

"Of course, Al," I said, almost sternly. "You can tell me _anything_." She laughed, a short, harsh bark, and that scared me more than anything else.

"It's over, Cassidy." Al said callously. I could only look at her, confusion etched on my features evident. "What's over, Al?"

"I don't know, Cass. The world. Life. It's all over," Her expression was brutal, her blue eyes dark as they glared at me. "I fell for him, Cass. He was no fling for me; he was the _real thing_, and I broke up with him." It took me a moment to process the words that came from her mouth. But they sounded as if they belonged to someone else, not my fun-loving best friend. They were harsh, ugly words.

But then I understood what she was saying—and meant.

"You broke up with Embry?" I whispered. I couldn't imagine it. Sure, there were times he really annoyed me, and they had known each other only for a few weeks, but trying to picture one without the other…it was unfathomable.

She nodded her head—a quick, rigid jerk of the neck—and pulled away from my grasp. "Yes, I broke up with him. Not even two hours ago, and, God, Cassidy, _it's killing me_." Her voice dropped low, an almost guttural sound, and I was really scared for my friend. Never had I seen her, nor anyone, like this before. Pain was engraved on her face, carved into her eyes. I listened as she spoke, straining to catch each word and their cryptic meanings. They picked up quickly, her face turning pink and her forehead getting damp from perspiration. "And, to think, not twenty-four hours ago, everything in my life was perfect. _Perfect!_ The first time in my life, and it was felled with one single swoop.

"Last night was so wonderful. Embry had to take me to his house because of the rain, and I couldn't have been any happier. I mean, who wouldn't kill to have such time with the person you love? But then, this morning, what he told me….

"Love. Love is such a funny thing, wouldn't you agree? It can make you feel like your on top of the world, and it can cut you down into tiny pieces until you're reduced to nothing. Love? What is love? I know Embry is the one, hell, the only one for me, but to be with him in such conditions? To risk everything else I love for him?

"There will be no one else; it will always be just _him_. When I close my eyes, he's there. In my dreams, he's there. When I watch TV, he's there. Hell! It doesn't matter if I'm reading a book or listening to music, it always leads back to _him_. My life is a tangle of thread, and no matter which end I grab, which trail I choose to follow, he's at the end of _every single damn one of them_.

"My life, there is no life without him. But I'll be damned if I risk all the other ones I love for him. You? You'll always be in danger, especially with Paul, with his temper. My parents? You know how snippy they could be, and one snooty comment from them and _he_ could go off. What if I had kids? He'll be their father, and they'll be in constant danger. They will inherit it, too, and put other people in danger. There is no way I could live with the guilt that will be heaped upon me." At the end of her rant, I was wide eyed, and my mouth was shaped in a perfect 'o'. Nothing made sense to me, but I knew that it should make sense, that there was something I was missing, some vital piece of information.

"Ally," I started, looking for the right things to say. "You know Embry loves you," I paused when Allison flinched at the mere mention of his name. "And you love him. Al, there's been changes in you in these past few weeks, and for the better. You don't go out partying with losers, you don't get drink—hell, you haven't even touched a beer since you two met! Now, Allison, you have to get over what ever obstacle you two are going through an—"

"You just don't understand!" she shrieked hysterically. I reached over and grabbed her balled fist into my hand, uncurling her long fingers from sheathing themselves into her skin.

"Help me understand then, Ally. Nothing fits together. What you're talking about, _nothing makes sense_. I've never met two people who were so…_right_ for each other like you two, and you're going to throw it all away because of some problem and not even try to work it out? That doesn't sound like the Allison I've known all my life." I said. She bit her lip, and blinked away the glistening tears.

"It's because this is something I've never come across, and isn't something you can examine under a microscope and just _learn_ about it. It's something incomprehensible, never even heard of before except for the distorted stories people tell to scare little children. This is something bigger, and far, far worse than bedtime stories."

I tried to ask what she was talking about, but she just shook her head, a small, sad smile playing on her pink lips. She told me that there was nothing she could say at the moment, but I would know soon enough. It wasn't her story to tell. She hugged me, and told me that she was going to bed. I watched her bleakly as she trudged upstairs, her shoulders sagging as if the weight of the world nested there.

Tears fell down my face, resting on my cheeks for my friend. This wasn't something I could solve for her; it was something I had to stay out of and let her do this all by herself. It hurt deeply, and I felt miserable, knowing that I was useless in this situation and all I was good for was sitting back and just watching as her life came to a screeching halt, crashed, and burned.

A wolf howled mournfully outside, the timbre of his voice catching on the melancholy environment.

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When I woke, the morning sky was a light gray, and rain trickled down on the window panes, sliding down despondently. The tension in the air was suffocating, and I shuddered involuntarily. The digital clock read 7:57 AM in luminous green lighting. It was a little early, but still an exceptional time for breakfast.

I walked into the kitchen, the cold floor sending an unpleasant shock to my toes. I padded over to the kitchen, pulling out the eggs, sausage and bacon.

Soon enough, the delectable aroma filled the house, and I was hoping that Al would come down, joking about eating all of the food and not saving me any like she always did. But my hope shriveled and disintegrated five minutes after the food was done. Allison was never late for a meal.

I shoved food onto a plate and filled a glass of orange juice up to the top to deliver to Al in her room. Mounting the stairs with a glass of liquid and a over packed plate of food without spilling anything wasn't an easy task, but I did it. I guess all of those years working as a waitress actually paid off.

I tapped on her door with my foot, barely waiting a second before walking in unauthorized. Her colorful room did nothing to thwart the heavy atmosphere. Al was splayed across her mattress, eyes wide open and staring out the window at the gloomy weather. Her eyes were unseeing, and I knew that she was thinking about something, so deep in thought that she hadn't and wouldn't notice me. She was breathing, I could see that, and she would blink on occasion. I walked over to the small table by her bed and placed her breakfast on top of it.

I tiptoed unnecessarily out of her room, shutting the door gently so it wouldn't make any noise. I just hoped she would figure everything out soon, for both her sake and Embry's.

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I dialed Jake's phone number, gripping the phone tight in nervousness. A man with a gruff voice picked up the phone.

"Hey, can I talk to Jake?" I asked, my voice breaking as distress seeped through my façade.

"Sorry, he's not here," the man said. I tried to speak, but he continued. "He went to spend the day over at the Cullen's. Try calling tomorrow." Click. I pressed the end call button. I would've been offended, and probably would've called the man back to inform him on the importance of phone-friendliness if I wasn't so depressed over my current situation.

I dialed Seth's phone number. On the tenth ring, an irritable girl picked it up. "What?!" I held the phone away from my ear until it was safe.

"Can I speak to Seth?" I asked politely. There was a snort, accompanied by a mocking laugh.

"He went to spend the day with Jake at the Cullen's." Click. I placed the phone in its cradle and rubbed my hands over my eyes in exasperation. Nobody was nice over the phone. And who in the hell were the Cullens?

I needed to get out of the house.

I grabbed the keys and stuffed them in my pocket, and ran upstairs to my room. I threw off my clothes and tossed them into a pile on my floor—an action most unlike me, but I couldn't bring myself to care. I pulled open the drawers and pulled on some skinny jeans and a dark red top. I put some socks on and shoved my feet into some old converses. I ran a brush roughly through the tangles in my hair, wincing at the hard tugs on the untamable snarls.

I walked to Allison's room and peeked in. She was sitting up now, and staring at the food I brought her like she was trying to solve a hard algebraic equation.

"Hey, Al," I called softly. Her head whipped towards me, shocked by my presence. I strained a smile. "I'm going out for a drive. Would you like to come?" She stared at me, and I could see the cogs in her head working, slowly, to process and understand what I had just said. After a minute, she shook her head sluggishly, her blood-shot eyes never leaving mine. "Would you like me to bring you something?" Again, it took her awhile to comprehend, but when she did, she shook her head.

"Okay, I'll be back soon."

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I drove slowly through the rain, straining to see through the blurred windshield. I should have waited until the rain had stopped, but the ambiance at home didn't exactly persuade me to stay. I grumbled irritably to myself as I was stopped at a red light.

In my peripheral, I saw lights flickering that caught my attention. It was a coffee house, and Lord knows I needed some in my system. I pulled the car in smoothly and parked in the small lot.

I made a dash to the entrance, not even having an umbrella to shield me from the buckets of rain. My shoes squeaked against the linoleum floor as I walked in, attracting a few stares. The lighting was bright, and there was the noise of hustle and bustle behind the counter. People sat at random tables, chatting amiably amongst one another.

I sat at a table, located far on the other side of the café and away from the conversations of the customers. I swung my wet hair to my side, using it as a curtain to hide from prying eyes. My fingers fiddled hyperactively with a loose string on my chair, pulling and tugging to no avail. Eyebrows crumpled together, I tugged harder.

"Can I get you something?" I jumped, feeling like a kid who just got caught with her hand in the forbidden cookie jar. I flushed as I met with a pair of familiar eyes.

"You're the guy from the grocery store." I stated dumbly, and mentally smacked myself for sounding like such a dork. The boy laughed, flashing dimples.

"Yeah, that's my name: 'The Guy From The Grocery Store'." He teased. I flushed a brighter red, and he laughed again. "Just joshing with you. My real name's Tommy; 'The Guy From The Grocery Store' is the name I use when I sell drugs."

Heads whirled around to our direction, and I was pretty sure my face was purple now. "Be quiet!" I hissed self-consciously. "People are staring!" Tommy looked around the café, a big grin on his face.

"Let them hear. Maybe I'll have more customers now."

I groaned, my head falling down onto the table with a loud thud. I heard Tommy snicker mischievously. "So, did you want anything?"

"Not drugs," I mumbled. "Just a cappuccino and a bagel."

There was a small chuckle. "I'll be back with your order in a few minutes Miss…?"

"Cassidy, but I rather when people call me just Cassie."

"Okay, Just Cassie. I'll be back in a few minutes." Tommy winked slyly at me before walking away. I flushed, and hid my face with my hair again.

A few minutes later, true to his word, Tommy came back to the table with my bagel on a plate and my drink. Except, there were two drinks and bagels.

"I only ordered one of each." I said confusedly. Tommy chuckled, placing the food down on the table and taking the seat across from me.

"I know, but I've got to eat, too." He said, taking one of the bagels and chomping a big bite out of it. "So, why so sad?"

I started, and then eyed him suspiciously. "How did you know? Are you some psychic or something?"

Tommy rolled his eyes playfully at me. "Yes, Cassie, I'm a psychic. Puh-lease. If I were one, I sure wouldn't be working here or at the grocery store. I'd probably have my own psychic hotline or something. You don't need to be a psychic to guess that I would be way better off that way. So, back to my question: why so sad?"

I grabbed my bagel, tearing a small piece of it off a popping it into my mouth. "Well, see, there's this guy—" Tommy groaned, and I raised an eyebrow at him. "What's your problem?"

"Oh, nothing. I should have guess someone as cute as you wouldn't be single." I flushed even brighter at his dejected expression. "He isn't my boyfriend—he's my friend's. Or, well, now ex-boyfriend." Tommy immediately perked up.

"Oh, well then, continue! Continue!" I rolled my eyes at him, my cheeks tinting pink.

"Well, it started a few weeks ago…" For the next forty minutes, I went into full detail about the summer so far. The moving in, the lame-ass party, Emily's, stolen brownies, Paul, the whole she-bang.

When I finished, Tommy had a thoughtful look on his face. "Hm. Very interesting. I think I know what the problem is."

"What?"

"Paul likes you." I nearly fell out of my chair.

"Um, hel-lo? We're talking about Al here, not me!" I yelled. Tommy blinked once, then twice. "Who?" I groaned, letting my head fall to the table. "Just joshing, just joshing, Cassie.

"So, you're saying that these two—Allison and Embry, right?—are in love, yet Allison broke up with him? And when she got home, she gave you some weird, cryptic explanation as to why?" he asked. I nodded my head sadly. "Well, that's certainly an odd thing to do. Perhaps he's some type of drug lord? Maybe he pimps out some girls around here. I know at least one or two skanky girls who work here part time. Perhaps they know him?"

I smacked his arm. "Come on, be serious. This is a major crisis. Allison has never acted like this, especially over some guy. I mean, she looks like the _walking dead_. What am I supposed to do?" I moaned, covering my face with my hands. Tommy patted my arm comfortingly.

"Maybe there isn't anything you _can_ do."

I sighed, fighting back tears. I wanted to tell him he was wrong, that there had to be something that I could do to make her feel better, but I knew he was right. There was a rustling sound, and a clicking of a pen. Tommy scribbled something onto a napkin, and handed it to me.

"Here's my phone number. Don't hesitate to call me if you need someone to talk to."

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I walked through the front door, shaking the raindrops off from my hair. It was quiet, and I decided to check up on Al. I took the stairs two at a time, and all but ran into her room. The sight I saw made me sigh in relief. Allison was sitting back against her innumerable fluffy pillows, watching a Spanish soap opera and scooping icecream from a Ben and Jerry's container.

"Hey." I said softly. Her eyes were still swollen from crying, but at least she didn't look like a zombie anymore. Al patted the bed, and I eased myself beside her. On the television, some lady was screeching dramatically, and a younger and more beautiful one was screaming back at her.

"I really hate that bitch, Maria," she said, pointing to the youthful girl. "I mean, she had no right to steal Camila's husband like that. What a _slut_."

I giggled. "It looks like her breasts are trying to smother her." Al smiled at that, but it faltered ever so slightly. "Hey, Cass. I hope you don't think I'm psycho about what I said yesterday. I was just really…out of it."

I wrapped my arm around her shoulders, and she laid her head onto my shoulder. "It's okay, Ally. But, if he did anything to hurt you, just tell me and I'll sic Paul onto him." Al looked at me strangely for a moment, looking almost alarmed. But, as soon as it was there, it disappeared, and was replaced with a smile.

"He hasn't done anything, Cassie. But, I've been thinking about what you said—"

"So you_ do_ want me to get Paul?" I asked, and Al hit me playfully. "Not about that, stupid. I was thinking about how you told me to, you know, work through it with him; overcome the obstacle. I'm thinking that you're right."

"So does that mean you're going to give him a call?"

Al looked shocked and incredulous. "Hell no. I said I'd work through it, but I'm not going to go all gung-ho doing it. It's going to take me awhile to get used to…the idea." She flinched after she said it, but I let it go. The good thing was that she was going to try, and hopefully things would turn back to normal.

"Well, you guys were made for each other," I said, the reality of the truth making me just a tiny bit envious. "Anybody could tell by the way he looks at you. It's like, his world revolves around you and _only you_. God, I wish I had someone like that."

"Maybe you already do." I thought I heard her mumble, but then she just turned the volume up on the television, effectively ending the conversation.

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**Okay. Like I said earlier, not my favorite chapter because of all the gloom and doom. You can obviously tell I'm more of a comedy person. But, hopefully things will pick back up to the usual manic-ness. So, it's pretty obvious that Embry told Al the whole werewolf secret, and she can't tell Cassie. So, she'll be left in the dark for a few chapters. But, good news!**

**Lately, I've been fretting that I would have to quit writing this story [gasp!] because I couldn't figure out what to do with it. But, last night, while I fought a violent attack of insomnia when I really wanted to go to sleep, it gave me two hours to visualize in my head what I wanted to happen. Huzzah! But, right now, I just woke up from a three hour nap and I am still really tired. **

**Oh, P.S. : I apologize for any grammatical errors there might be. I don't have a beta, and I really don't like to read over my stuff. [Too lazy] Like, I read one of my other chapters yesterday [I think chapter five...?] and instead of 'pouting', I put 'putting'. That really pissed me of.**

**But, back to the usual. I don't blame you if you don't like this chapter, but please press that pretty green and gray button and give me some feedback. Thank you.**


	9. Chapter Nine

**Author's Note:**

**Thanks for those awesome reviews, guys! Eight was way more than I expected for that chapter. So, special 'ecial thanks to: taybaybay, Anonymous, Yodes, Gryffindor Gurl2, Pepper2013, katevs, ASHLYNN, and alyse. You guys freaking rock. :]**

**So, yes, Al had a major [and that's putting it lightly] meltdown. Al is more sentimental and sensitive than Cassie is, and she feels strongly about everything. So, maybe that can show you guys her perspective and understand her a little more. **

**Okay, Anonymous. You predicted that Cassie would have to choose between Tommy and Paul. I dunno. You kind of are talking to the _psycho_ who created Cassie and this weird story. You may be right, may be wrong. Not sure. You'll just have to wait and see. ;D**

**Katevs: Thanks for the offer, but I'm not sure if I'm ready to have a beta. I'm pretty...crazy when it comes to handing my stories out. Hell, I won't even let my sister read them. It takes me at least ten minutes to convince myself to update my story with a chapter, and convince myself it wasn't a total epic fail. I'm pretty insecure like that. But, let me make you a deal: Whenever I can get medicine that will make me less psychotic, I'll message you, and, if you want to, you can be my beta. Deal?  
**

**So, thanks so much for reading, and I even got a new reviewer. But, I'm still kind of waiting for half of my alert list to give me a review and tell me how much they like, or hate, my story. But, I'll be patient.**

**Thanks for loving Tommy so much. He is pretty vital to my story right now, and I'm glad I got reviews on how great he was. He sends his love. [I also have a poll on Tommy, and what color eyes should he have. I can't decide.]  
**

**So:**

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Twilight by Stephenie Meyer, only a shrine I hold in my closet dedicated to her and her books.  
**

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**Spending Time at Emily's**

I had only seen Embry twice since Al broke it off with him, and he looked terrible. Each time, he barraged me with questions like, "Is she okay?" and, "Does she hate me?" I had replied, No, she doesn't hate you, and, yes, she's okay, doing just peachy. It wasn't a total lie, but it wasn't exactly the truth, either.

Al was still pretty broken up about the whole thing, but she wouldn't tell me what he had said. I had asked Paul about it, if Embry had told him anything, but he had gotten all tense and then would none-too-subtly change the subject. The guys hadn't come over to the house, either. This past week, I had to hang around Emily's when I wanted to talk and hang out with them. Needless to say, Al was a no-show.

"Has Embry told you anything, Emily?" I asked, desperately wanting to hear something different from what I've been told. But, she shook her head, smiling kindly at me. "I'm afraid not, Cassie. I think he's just a little sensitive about the subject, is all." I groaned loudly, and Emily chuckled at my hopelessness. "Don't worry. They'll soon realize how useless it is and get back together. Eventually."

"I know that Em, but why does it have to be 'eventually'? Why can't it be now, dammit?!" I cried out. Emily laughed freely, chopping up slices of chicken. She was used to my mood-swings and random outbursts, and it was a nice change from my parents and how they would send me to my room when I randomly burst out with a curse word.

When I had asked her why she didn't care when I used language, she had laughed it off, saying that hanging around the boys since they were teenagers made her used to foul language. The only time no one cursed was when Emily's kids were around, but once in a while, someone slipped and would have their palms slapped with a wooden spoon. Most of the time, it was Paul on the receiving end of the spoon. Then, someone would laugh—Seth—and then Paul would chase after him with the spoon, wielding it like a dangerous weapon. But, with Paul, it _was_ pretty dangerous.

There was a loud crash outside from the backyard, and then rowdy laughter. Emily's nostrils flared angrily, and, with hands on hips, she left the chicken on the cutting board and walked out the back door and proceeded to scold the boys. Thank God she put the knife down first. Sam walked in, looking around the kitchen. "Where's Em?"

"Outside yelling at the guys." I said flatly. It was no secret that she did so on a daily basis. He smirked. "They do something stupid?"

"Inevitably."

"That's my girl." Sam gloated, a proud grin adorning his face. I chuckled at the puppy-like adoration he wore whenever he talked about Emily and when he was around her. And, that happened _a lot_. On queue, Emily walked in, looking just a little miffed.

"What happened?" Sam asked, immediately concerned. I rolled my eyes. And people said _I _had mood swings.

"They were wrestling, and they crashed into my flower pots." She griped, walking over to the sink to wash her hands. Sam walked up behind her, and rested large hands on her shoulders. He bent down to whisper something in her ear, and she immediately relaxed. It wasn't like he was using bed-talk, but I still felt like I was intruding. I excused myself, and walked out of the kitchen.

As soon as I stepped outside, I felt better. I could see Quil and Jake rolling on the ground, laughing as they tried to pin one other. On the side, Paul was laughing as Seth picked bits and pieces of petals and leaves from his hair with a dejected expression.

"Aw, Seth, don't do that. You look so beautiful." I teased, and Seth stuck his tongue out at me. "Don't be jealous 'cause I have bigger boobs than you, Cass." I felt myself tint pink, and I tried to inconspicuously cover my chest up. He hit a sore spot.

"You do not," I said defensively. "Plus, how do you even know yours are bigger than mine?" Seth rolled his eyes at me.

"Dude, I tried your bra on, and, trust me, that was a _tight_ squeeze. Nearly cut off all blood flow in my chest. What are you? Size A? Small B?" he asked, and I flushed brighter. He hit his target on the last guess.

"Well, I for one think she's perfect." Paul all but growled, wrapping an arm around my waist and pulling me close to him. I felt grateful that he stuck up for me, but embarrassed by the looks we were getting. Quil and Jake stopped there wrestling and leered up at us, and I saw Emily and Sam peeking out the window at us.

"You only think that because you im—"

"Wow! I'm _sooo_ hungry!" Jake exclaimed loudly. "Lets go see what Emily has for us!" I watched them strangely as both Jake and Quil smacked Seth on the back of the head hard as they passed him to go inside. Seth grumbled something, and Paul growled, the noise rumbling in his chest loudly. It reminded me of Embry, and I quietly wondered if all of the La Push men did that. Was it genetic?

"You hungry?" Paul asked me. I thought about it. I _was_ hungry, but I couldn't leave Al alone at the house. I was started to shake my head no, but I caught the devastated expression on Paul's face, and thought better of it. "Yeah, just a little." Paul beamed at me, flashing ultra-white teeth at me. It was blinding.

He encased my hand in his large one and led me into the house and into the house. I stumbled along side him, trying to keep up with his long legs. Damn, he must be hungry if he was walking this fast.

When we walked into the kitchen, the guys were already lined up, all but panting as Emily finished the food and pulled delicacies from the oven. It was like a buffet; not an inch of counter was uncovered. Quil reached to grab at a chicken strip, but Emily was quick as greased lightning with her wooden spoon, smacking at his hand.

"No," she scolded. "Ladies first." She nodded towards me, and the guys glared petulantly in my direction. "I'm really not hungry, Em. I'll just—"

"I'll get your food, Cass. I'll bring it to you in the living room." Paul said, smiling down at me. It felt like I was hypnotized, and I nodded my head stupidly. There were chuckles from behind me as I stumbled into the living room and plopped myself ungracefully onto the couch. How come I never noticed he had such pretty dark eyes before? In the kitchen, there was growling and a high-pitched yelp—most likely because of Emily and her spoon of justice.

Paul walked in, carrying two plates piled high with food. I watched incredulously as he placed one in front of me, smiling, before proceeding to stuff his face with food.

"Um, Paul?" I asked slowly. "I don't think I could eat that much. Why don't you take some?" I tried to pour the contents onto his plate, but he stopped me, his mouth set in a stern line.

"Cassie, you need to eat." He said, pushing my plate back to me.

I glared at him nastily. "Paul, I am going to eat; I'm not anorexic. But, what I _am_ trying to say is that there is no way in hell I will be able to eat all of this." I shoved the plate back at him.

"Oo. Am I sensing a disturbance in the force on lover's lane?" Jake teased with a smirk as he sat in the couch on the other side of the room. Paul ignored him.

"Cassie, eat."

"I will, just not all of that."

"Oh my God, _this is getting so good_." Seth stage-whispered to Quil, who choked on the bread stick he had just shoved down his mouth. Jake pounded him on his back, and Seth boomed his laughter.

"Cassidy," Paul lectured. "You're too skinny. You need to eat." I gaped at him.

"_Too skinny_? So, you _are_ calling me anorexic!" I accused, and Paul set his plate down onto the coffee table.

"This," he said, touching my ribs and applied pressure. "Is too skinny." I flushed, and Quil hooted. "Paul, I think you want to go up a little ways, eh?"

The guys laughed, except for Paul, who scowled nastily at them. I eyed my plate, and picked up a piece of cornbread. I tested the weight of it, just like Al had taught me in seventh grade, and then lobbed it at Quil, hitting him right between the eyes. The result was satisfying, watching the cornbread crumble and scatter everywhere. A few pieces even flew off and hit Seth and Jake.

It was quiet, and Quil shook his head slowly at me. "Cassidy, if there is one thing you have yet to learn in this household is that payback is a bitch." Before I could react, a breadstick—the one I'm pretty sure Quil was just choking on—hit me smack-dab in the cheek, leaving a liquid-y residue behind. My eye twitched as Quil laughed, tears streaming down his cheeks. Paul vibrated beside me, a growl rumbling in his chest.

I picked a handful of chicken tenders and threw them at Quil, one lodging itself in his open mouth. "The general is down! Cease fire!" Seth cried dramatically, pounding on Quil's back. Jake pursed his lips thoughtfully, eyeing me mischievously. He picked up his piece of chicken, and I tensed for impact.

There was a loud thudding sound, but I hadn't felt anything. When I looked up, Jake was laughing, and Paul had pieces of maimed fried chicken in his hair.

"Jake," Paul said, his voice strangled. "When you mess with Cassie, that's one thing, but when you mess with me, that's a whole different thing." He picked up his plate and threw it at Jake, hitting him in his chest. Gravy spilled down his stomach and onto his pants, and Seth and Quil watched in shock. Jake picked up Quil's plate—who cried out in dismay.

"Return fire!" Jake ordered, throwing the plate at us. I squeaked as Paul shielded me, taking the full impact of the blow. I needed to remember to thank him later.

I pushed Paul back and grabbed my plate and shoved it into his waiting hands. I grabbed random bits of food and launched it at them, Paul doing the same.

The battle was intense, and we had casualties on both sides. Paul and I had huge ketchup stains in our shirts, food tangled into our hair. Quil had choked on food more than once, and Jake was covered head to toe in food. The fighting only stopped when there was a loud shriek.

"What is going on here?!" Emily screeched, and our loaded hands froze mid-air. Nobody dared say a word, for fear of the spoon.

Seth looked like he was about to cry. I hadn't noticed before, but he was the only one who hadn't been throwing food. He was on the floor, touching the makeshift missiles almost tenderly. "So much _waste_," he whispered, eyes glassy. "Why, oh why must the tasty die young?"

"Seth!" Emily barked, and he was quiet. "Now, I'll ask one more time: What is going on in here?" Her voice had lowered, but I knew it was deception. I willed Paul to stay quiet because I really didn't want to see him get whacked.

"We were having a food fight." Quil said, almost cheerfully. Emily, quick as a flash, smacked him across his bare chest with the spoon, and he squeaked.

"Everyone," she barked in a low, commanding voice. "Is to stay and clean up. No one leaves here until there is not a messy spot on my new rug. Understood? Good." Emily marched out of the room like an army commander, and we all glared at one another.

"Thanks a lot, Cassidy," Jake growled. "Now we've go—"

"_No talking in there_!"

We shut our mouths and set to the task, scurrying around like mice. We picked up the broken bits of food—Seth sniffling every once in a while when he came across a particularly gruesome scene.

For over two hours, we scrubbed at stains and threw away the spoiled food. It was hard work, especially with three men scowling at me the entire time. But Paul stood by my side, and I was thankful for that.

"Oh my God. What happened in here?" I looked up to see a girl I didn't recognize, rubbing her swollen stomach in curiosity. A large man stood behind her—looking just like the others.

"Jared, my man!" Quil cried. "What are you doing here?"

"Just beholding perhaps the most idiotic spectacle in the history of Emily's ever." Jared said, his eyes scanning the room and at each one of our faces, stopping only on mine. The girl also saw me, and she smiled hugely at me.

"Oo! You must be the new girl! Cassie, right? I'm Kim!" she greeted, rushing over to shake my hand. I chuckled nervously, marveling at the strength of her hand. Someone was going to be screwed come delivery time.

"Nice to meet you." I said, pulling my hand back and inconspicuously rubbed it, trying to regain the feeling in it.

"Jared, my man! What _are_ you doing here?" Quil said again, a little forcefully this time. Jared rolled his eyes, grinning. "Em called us over, saying that she had something to tell us. Speaking of which, where is she?"

"Right here, dear." Emily said, smiling warmly. Her eyes scanned the living room critically, and, obviously pleased, smiled even larger. Sam came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her. "Have you told them, yet?" he asked, nuzzling her cheek.

"Just getting to it, honey," she said, flushing. I barely contained the urge to look away in embarrassment. "Okay, so guys…I'm having a baby!"

It was quiet before Kim squealed, clapping her hands excitedly. Jared had to restrain her, telling her that it wouldn't be too good for the baby if she got too carried away. She immediately stopped, but couldn't help the twitches of energy. And people call _me _manic.

Seth slapped his forehead. "No _wonder_! I thought that you finally lost your marbles—ow!" Emily had slapped him with her spoon, nostrils flaring. Sam chuckled, trying uselessly to pry the weapon from her tight grip.

"How far along are you?" I asked.

"Two months." She said, grinning madly. So, if it was June, she would have seven months left, so perhaps the due date would be somewhere around January.

"Ugh, seven more months to endure the painful hormones. I feel bad for you,

S—ouch!" Quil yelped when Sam pinched him. "What is wrong with you?!"

"Don't you guys have somewhere you need to be?" Sam asked suggestively. "Like over at Claire's or the Cullens?" There we go again with the Cullens. Who are they? Jake and Quil immediately perked up.

"Well, I need to go home. Al probably needs me." I said, standing up. Paul immediately got up, too. "I'll come with you." I looked at him oddly, but I didn't say anything. I waved goodbye to the guys, closing the door just in time to hear Emily yelling something about chicken.

Paul and I walked out to the car, and I hopped into the driver's side and Paul lowered himself in the passenger's. "This car is _so small_." He complained, trying to stretch his cramped legs. I snorted, raising my eyebrows at him.

"No, you're just huge." I said. "Want to continue our game of twenty questions?" Paul nodded his head and started it off. "How many guys have you dated?" he asked. I flushed, but answered, a little reluctantly. "Two."

"_Two_? That's it?"

"No, Paul, I was just being sarcastic." I snarled.

"…Now you're just being mean."

"Okay, how many girls have _you_ dated?" I asked. I didn't miss how he tensed and his hands tightened in his lap. "Pass."

"You can't pass a question! That's cheating! Now, answer the question, and truthfully." It took him a minute, and I could see him calculating in his head.

"I don't know." He said finally, and I looked at him disbelievingly. "What? I lost count."

"You _lost count_? What the hell are you? A prostitute?" I asked, laughing a little. Paul ignored me, and launched into another question. "Why were you scared of me when we first met?"

"Uh, hello? You're tall, muscular, and from what I heard just moments before our 'encounter', I had just heard several menacing stories about you and your temper. Now, if you were in my shoes, wouldn't you have been just a little scared? Now, my turn: was that you who kept calling and hanging up on me a few weeks ago?" It was a tough question, one that I had been saving for further down the line, but I thought it better just to go ahead and see his reaction.

He tensed again—a mannerism I knew that meant he didn't like something or was nervous. "Yes."

"Why?" I asked, and Paul exhaled quietly. "Because, the last I saw of you, you had just run like a bat out of hell to get away from me. I wanted to apologize for my behavior, but every time I heard your voice, or your friends, I chickened out and hung up. Satisfied?"

"Immensely." I said, smiling. "Your turn."

"What college are you going to?"

"The University of La Push. What college did you go to?"

"Same one. I took classes there to become a mechanic. What job do you want after you get out of college?" he asked, and I thought about it while I drove.

"I think," I said. "That I want to go into journalism, or something like that. What's your job?"

"I work on cars at a shop locally with Sam and the guys." He said as I pulled into the driveway and turned off the ignition.

"Okay, one last question: how are you going to get back without a car?" I asked. Paul smiled at me, like he was happy that I was concerned. "I'll figure out a way." He stepped out of the car, and I did, too.

"I'll walk you to your door." Paul said, taking my hand. I raised an eyebrow at him, hardly bothered with the fact how natural it felt now to be with him. "It's not like we've just come back from a date, Paul. You don't have to if you don't want to."

"I want to."

We walked the short distance from the car to the door, and I smirked at him. "Happy?" I teased, and he grinned down at me. "Extremely."

It was quiet, and my heart started to beat erratically. My hand was still in his, and I was hyperactively aware of how little space was between us. He seemed aware of the fact, too, but didn't move away. "Paul." I mumbled. And, as clichéd as it might sound, I was dazzled by his eyes so much that I couldn't frame a coherent thought. His lips were getting closer to mine, and my breath was coming faster. Blood rushed to my cheeks, and I suddenly realized my predicament.

I pulled back, pretending I didn't notice how his face fell. "I need to go and check up on Al, see if she's okay. I'll see you later, right?" It was an excuse, I knew, and I felt like a wretched person for using it.

Paul nodded his head, the dejected expression still not completely gone from his eyes. "Yeah, later." He turned around, and I felt guilty, but I just wasn't ready. For what, I didn't quite know.

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"He almost kissed you, and you pulled away?" Tommy asked over the phone. I could hear the hustle and bustle of work in the background.

"Yeah." I said glumly. I heard Tommy snicker.

"One for Tommy, zero for Paul." He crowed proudly, and I rolled my eyes.

"Oh, please, Tommy. What makes you think that this is a competition?" I asked, and immediately wished I hadn't. Thankfully, Tommy was considerate enough to spare me the details.

"It's a guy thing, Cassie. You wouldn't know anything about it. Or, at least, I should hope not. You're not a guy, are you? Because I met one too many chicks who turned out to be dudes—"

"Shut up, Tommy. I need to go, now. Bye."

"Wait!" Tommy said, and I listened. "You didn't tell me: how are things going with Al and Embry?"

"Well, Al isn't a zombie anymore, and the two times I've seen Embry, he looks like a total mess. But, Al has promised me that she was going to try to set things straight, but just at her own pace."

"Ah, I see." _Tommy! Quit wasting your time and help me with the orders! Stat! _"There goes my mom, and potentially my sanity. But, I'll see you soon." _Tommy!_ "'Night, Cassie."

"Night, Tommy." Click.

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**NINE Pages. That, too, was for you, Yodes. I really am trying to make my chapters longer and trying to keep things light. But, there will be drama--the story warrants it--but I won't make it in-your-face like the last chapter was. Things can't always go right in the Lane of Love. So, you'll have to ponder my hints and predict what you think might happen. **

**So, press that super awesomely majestic green and gray button and review. Paul and Cassie will love you guys for EVER. **


	10. Chapter Ten

**Author's Note:**

**Okay, guys, it's the BIG 1-0 [Thanks for pointing that out, Pepper. I hadn't noticed. C; ] So, this chapter is a little short, but I thought since this was a special chapter, it had to be centered around Cassie. So, if you think she's a little weird in this chapter...you are absolutely right. **

**Thanks to: Anonymous [x2 --- just that freaking awesome, right? C: ], Pepper2013 [xD I love spoons. Who doesn't? Hm, never heard of it. What's the show called?], Gryffindor Gurl2 [When do I not thank this chick? If I didn't know any better, I'd say that she was a -gasp!- FAN!], taybaybay [the guys are in their twenties, so years have passed. And I'm glad you like the chapter!] katevs [thanks for understanding. You're an Angel!], Pocket-93 [Oh yeah! Finally a review from you, you naughty noodle!], Twilightaddict131 [Yay! You've come back! Thank you very much, and I hope your vacation was good. :)] alyse [Thanks for the reinforcement on the genius. Hope you enjoy this chapter, too.] and iluvshim [Wow, another new person! I feel so happy and accomplished. I'd like to hear from you again, and soon.] **

**So, this is kind of a 'Special', and it's just where Cassie acts all retarded to cheer on her bud, Al. Really**, **is there anything she can't do? xD **

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Twilight, just this flimsy plot and the OCs. [Specially that sexy Tommy. Oh, yeah. You heard me.]  
**

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**Pep Talk With Cassie**

"Cassie, I can't do this."

"Al, be serious. It's been a whole _month_. I know you've not exactly gotten over it, but you need to go ahead and make the first move. Come on, it's easy. Jus—"

"I know how to operate a damn phone, Cassidy," Al snapped at me. "Just…just give me a minute for a mental prep." I waited a minute.

"How about now?"

"No. Not now." I waited another minute.

"Now. Now is the time. I feel it."

"Cassie. No, it is _not time_."

"…How about now?" I asked innocently. Al sighed loudly. She placed her jaw in her hands and glared at me from across the kitchen counter.

"You're not gonna leave me alone, are you?" she asked flatly. I shook my head energetically, beaming. "You had a lot of sugar, didn't you?" I nodded so hard and fast I almost decapitated myself. It almost brought a smile to Al's face, but not quite.

I scooted the phone over to her, wiggling it temptingly. "Do it, I dare ya." I said, giving her my best mock glare. She giggled, and reached for the phone but stopped. I waited, and I watched in dismay as her face crumpled.

"I can't do it." She whispered, tears coming to her eyes. I pursed my lips, and I pushed the phone at her again.

"'Ey," I said, imitating the voice of what I thought a phone would sound like. "Look at me. I'm over here, no! No, not over there, girl. Right here, girl, dammit!" She buried her face into her hands, and I could see tears seeping through. Hmph. That one usually got her.

Then, _ding!_, went the light bulb over my head. I had the perfect solution. "Hey, Al? Do you still have your cheerleading outfit?" I asked. She looked up at me, wiping away her tears.

"Yeah," she sniffled. "In my closet. Why?" I didn't answer, but just ran out of the kitchen and up the stairs. I tripped more than once, but I was on a mission. I was going to play cupid, and dammit, I was going to give it hundred and ten percent.

I swung Al's door open, sending it into the wall with a slam. Oops. I ran over to the closet, dropped to my knees and rummaged through the messy piles of clothes. Nothing. Okay, Al cherished it, so she wouldn't treat it like crap. So it should be…

I looked up, and there it was, the only thing hanging up on the rod. How did I miss that?

I yanked it off the metal rod and pulled down the zipper on the clear plastic that covered the outfit. In less than a second, my clothes were on the floor and I was yanking on the red and black skirt and top. Both were a little big on me, seeing as how I wasn't…the tallest person around. I pulled on a pair of her tennis shoes and an elastic band she kept on her chest of drawers. I pulled my hair up in a high ponytail, and jumped up and down a few times to make sure it was springy enough. Check.

I almost ran out of the room until I remembered one of the most vital parts of a cheerleader: pompoms. Duh!

I ran back to the closet and found them on the top shelf, very high up in the closet. I grumbled to my self, trying to figure out how to get them down. I grabbed the nearest object—a hairbrush—and threw it at the shelf, hoping to knock the pompoms down. Fail. I grabbed another object within my reach—this time a thick geography book I knew Al definitely didn't read—and threw it at the shelf. There was a deafening crack, and I watched in horror as the shelf broke in half and crashed to the floor. There was a big dent where the book flew, and paint was chipping off.

But, on the ground and unharmed, were the pompoms. Jackpot. I grabbed them up and flew down the stairs to the kitchen.

"Cass, what was that noise—oh my God." She gasped as she beheld the sight of me in her uniform. At least she stopped crying. I shook the pompoms at her, beaming.

"Two, four, six, eight, who do we appreciate?! You! Yeah, yeah, yeah you!" I cheered, jumping up and down like a madwoman. Hey, this was pretty fun! "Shake it! Shake it like a Polaroid picture! Yeah!" I said, and I pointed the pompoms over to the phone, shaking my hips. "Come one, you can do it! If Al can't do it, no one can!"

Al was crying again, but this time it was because she was laughing so hard. She was doubled over, hands pressed against her stomach, gasping for breath. But, I could see her hand going towards the phone, and I shook the pompoms harder.

"S-Stop!" Al cried through a fit of giggles. "S-Stop if-f y-you want me to call E-Embry." I immediately stopped, but I couldn't contain the energy and I wiggled my hips excitedly as she dialed the phone number, chuckling a few times. But that instantaneously changed when Embry picked up the phone, and Al froze.

I wiggled the pompoms at her, throwing in a few minor pelvic thrusts. She smiled at me, and launched into a conversation with him.

"Hey, Embry, it's me…no, I'm not mad…no, Em—" she paused, listening to whatever he was saying. I could hear the loud buzz of his voice from the phone, and Al nodded her head. "Look, Embry, we can't talk about all of this over the phone…exactly…good, I'll be waiting. Bye." Al pressed the 'end call' button, and placed the phone into the cradle. I eyed her suspiciously, but she just smiled. Her _real_ smile, not the forced ones I had been seeing a lot lately.

"Embry's going to pick me up in a few minutes and take me down to La Push to his house. I might be late, but don't worry if I don't come home until early in the morning." She said, and I wrinkled my nose.

"You guys aren't going to, you know, do _it_, are you?" I asked disgustedly, and Al widened her eyes at me. "Hell no, Cass! We're just going to talk, is all. We both have a lot of explaining to do, and it might take a while, is all. Now, I'm going to go upstairs and change real quick and then I'll be off. Do you need me to drop you off at Emily's?"

"Um, Al?" I asked. She was walking out of the kitchen, and turned back to me.

"Yeah?"

"Um, I just wanted to tell you…good luck, with Embry and all." I said, chickening out. She smiled at me, and walked out and up the stairs.

Five…

Four…

Three…

Two…

_One…_

"Cassie! What did you do to my room?!" Al roared just as I grabbed the car keys and my jacket and ran out of the front door. I scrambled towards the car, fumbling with the keys to unlock the car. I hopped in, locking the doors, and speeding out of the driveway. I barely missed the mailbox, and I saw Al in my rearview mirror, standing on the porch, looking formidable even in her fluffy pink robe and her hair in tangles.

I would be in deep shit when I got home.

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**Okay, so this chapter and the next are rather short. But, the climax will be coming soon, and what I've been dying to write. What is it? You'll have to wait and see. **

**REMINDER: Officially, two people have voted on the poll, and one unofficially. [The poll is now up and showing, so go ahead and vote. -cough- BLUE! -cough-]**

**Now, please click that b-e-a-utiful green/gray button, and make me feel like the awesomest author alive. Please? Tommy will love you forever! Tommy-esque next chapter.**


	11. Chapter Eleven

**­****Author's Note**

**Okay, I closed the polls and checked the results. I added the vote for Anonymous--blue--and all the options were tied, except for 'other'. And it just so happens that I used that 'other' [provided by Pepper2013, now called VampireNinjaK14****. Congrats, by the way] for Tommy's eye color. But, in my judgment, I think using her suggestion for blue-gray eyes helped everyone win. Those who wanted blue eyes or gray got their choices mixed into one and...hazel...well, hazel is a mix of colors, not usually blue or gray, but still a mix. So, blue-gray eyes is mixed, and so is hazel, so everyone wins! ....Right?**

**Anonymous: Your so damned keen. I hadn't even caught that, and now I feel so 'tarded. Gah, your gift for thoroughness sometimes makes me wanna kiss you and then other times to spank you with a turkey leg. xD Just joking. **

**Wow, Invisible Truths was the first to review, and it was like, two minutes after I added the chapter. Nearly scared the crap out of me when I saw it. xD**

**That's okay, Yodes. I happen to love goldfish. I haven't had one for a year because my last one died. He drowned. x.x  
**

**swimgirl, I was pretty shocked when I read that you didn't like Tommy, but that was rather good, in a way. I like hearing people's opinions, and all different kinds of reviews. So, thank you. :]  
**

**So, thanks for the reviews, guys, the new reviewers and the guys make me feel so special. **

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Twilight, unlike Stephenie Meyer, but that won't stop me in my conquest.**

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**Having 'The Talk' with Tommy**

I tapped on the steering wheel to the beat of the music, singing only to the parts of the song I knew. "Here she comes again," I sang, bouncing up and down. "She makes me wanna sin, my heart stops when I think about her coming…" Okay, so I felt slightly gay when I was singing this song, but it was addicting. As soon as the song stopped, I pulled up to the café. I jumped out energetically and walked into the café with a triumphant spring in my steps. I may have looked like a prancing chicken, but I couldn't care less.

"Cassie!" Tommy greeted from behind the counter, grinning. I smiled back at him, and walked over to him. "Um, what are you wearing?" he asked, his eyes wide. I looked down, and I saw that my jacket, zipped up, covered both cheerleading shirt and skirt, and it looked like all I was wearing was a pair of socks and shoes.

I flushed brightly, unzipping my jacket so he could see. Tommy let out a sigh of relief, smiling. "Oh, God. And I thought my dreams had finally come true, too." He put his hand over his heart and pouted 'disappointedly' at me, but I could see the mischievous sparkle in his blue-gray eyes. Was it just me, or did everyone in this town have pretty eyes?

"So, what would be your desire?" he asked. "The usual?"

"Yeah," I said, fumbling with the pockets of my jacket. Dammit, I forgot my wallet! Tommy noticed this and chuckled. "Don't worry, Cass, I'll pay for you."

I smiled. "Thanks, buddy."

I walked off to my usual table while I waited for my order. This had become a routine between Tommy and I; I would come over, get the 'usual'—a cappuccino and a bagel, then I would sit down at my table and then Tommy would come over with two cappuccinos and two bagels. He worked here with his mom—a family business—but he didn't enjoy it, and took every chance he could get to blow it off. So, it was understatement to say he was happy when I came over.

"So," Tommy said, plopping down in the seat in front of me. "What's up with the whole outfit? I mean, not that I don't like it, because I certainly do—"

"I was giving Al a pep talk a-la-Cassie." I cut him off, gesturing grandly to the uniform. "And I must say that I totally kick ass as a cheerleader." I took a sip of my drink, and Tommy grinned slyly.

"I would've loved to see that. Perhaps you can give us a demonstration?" I smack his arm and he laughed. "What? Just a _suggestion_, Cass. So, what's happening in the waters of La Push? Anything I should know about?" He coughed '_Paul_ ', and I laughed.

"Things are…weird." I surmised after a moment of thinking, and Tommy eyed me suspiciously.

"You're cheating on me, aren't you?"

I rolled my eyes playfully. "Oh, please. How could I be cheating on you when there isn't anything between us?" Tommy narrowed his eyes at me, trying to wipe the smile off of his face.

"You wound me, love. Now, back to the matter at hand, what do you mean by 'weird'?" he asked, and I internally cursed him. He was too perceptive at times, especially when I didn't want him to be.

I leaned back in my chair, tilting my head back and letting out a giant sigh. "It's just after the almost-kiss, everything feels…changed. Like, one moment Paul and I are joking around, just like friends should, and then…I don't know. It's like the atmosphere changes and there's this…electricity surrounding us, and he looks at me so _intensely_. It's disturbing." There were lots of gaps in my explanation, like how Paul knew just about everything about me, and how well we fit together, and then how everyone was dropping none-too-subtle hints for me to get together with Paul. Emily was the worst about it, seeing as how the hormones were making her more blunt and daring.

Tommy nodded his head sagely. "Yes, I was afraid it was coming to this. Perhaps there was something I could have done to stop it…?"

"Tommy, what are you talking about?" I asked. Tommy rolled his eyes at me, exhaling out in a huff.

"It's so obvious, Cassie. I can't believe you don't even notice it. Hell, I sure would know if that happened to me. Well, I guess you're just oblivious—"

"Oh, come on and spill, Tommy. What are you talking about?"

"The sexual frustration, of course," he said matter-of-factly. I choked on the bagel piece I had just swallowed, and Tommy pounded on my back. When I finally got back my composure, I had to work to keep my tone low.

"What?!" I hissed. "_Sexual frustration_? What makes you think there is anything like that going on?!"

"Tsk tsk," Tommy tutted. "I see you must be inexperience in this area, so let me explain: you and Paul are obviously lusting after one another, and are too shy to get naked and jump in a sack together. A—Cassie, close your mouth; you don't want to catch any flies in there, do you?—anyways, back to my point: all you have to do to relieve it is make hot fudge-y love with the guy and, BOOM!, you're healed! But, I don't like that solution, so I can loan you one of my mom's smut books. But, if you find that doesn't work, you can always come over to my house an—"

"Stop. Right. There." I said, pinching his lips together. "There is no sexual frustration between me and Paul, and I am most certainly not going to have _sex_ with him. And, that also goes with borrowing one of your mom's obscene books and I will most definitely not go over to your house and jump into bed with you!" His lips were trying to move, and his words were coming out in muffled noises. I let go of them, and he grinned at me.

"What makes you think I wanted to jump into bed with you?" he asked innocently. I glared at him.

"But," I mocked him. "If you find that doesn't work, you can always come over to my house an—' I think that sounded like an invitation."

"It only sounded like that because you cut me off by nearly pinching my lips off to shut me up. What I _was _trying to say was, 'But, if you find that doesn't work, you can always come over to my house and make brownies with me.' See? Don't you know that brownies have the ultimate healing power?"

I stared at him dumbly as he smirked arrogantly at me. "You evil bastard. You did that on purpose!" I accused.

He grinned largely at me, taking a large victory bite from his bagel. "Sure did. I just wanted to see your expression." He snickered, and I kicked his shin.

"But, back to the subject at hand: if you are going to do the hippety-dippety with him, I suggest you use protection. But, remember, there is no such thing as 'safe sex', and—hey! Where are you going?"

I grabbed my car keys off the table, zipping my jacket back up as I stood. "I'm afraid that facing the wrath of Al is far more appealing than having 'the talk' with you." I teased, and he smiled. That was the good thing about Tommy: he let me go when I wanted to without any objections.

"So, I'll see you again, right?" he asked.

"You might," I permitted. "If Al doesn't kill me, then the only other time you'll see me is when I am being lowered down into the ground."

"So, if you die, can I have your cheerleading outfit? I think it would look good on me." He said, winking. I laughed, shaking my head.

"It's Al's, but if she gets thrown into jail, then it's all yours."

"Yes!" he cried, pumping his fists in the air.

"Bye, Tommy." I said, giving him a hug. He laughed, squeezing me back tightly. "I'll see you 'round, Cass." I pulled back and headed to the door. Over my shoulder, I called out, "Pray for me!"

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**END**

**So, good? No? **

**Please review, and make me the happiest girl ever. :)  
**


	12. Chapter Twelve

**Author's Note:**

**Heh. ;)**

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Twilight, only this plot and my OCs. Even Tommy. Yeah, you heard me. **

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**Payback and a Movie**

I snuck into the house, peering around each corner to make sure Al wasn't there to pounce on me at first sign of weakness. All of the lights were off, hinting that the house was vacant, but I wouldn't put it past her to do something as devious as that when she wants revenge.

I flipped the light switch with a sharp flick of the wrist, my eyes darting to every dark corner to make sure that there wasn't some hired assassin waiting to get me within clutch. It was quiet except for the pitter-patter of the soft rain hitting the rooftop. After fifteen minutes of very thorough inspection—my room was left untouched, so I know she must be waiting for the _perfect_ revenge—I was satisfied and convinced that I was safe.

With a confident bounce in my step, I walked into the living room and plopped down onto the couch with remote in hand and surfed the channels. Spongebob? Seen all of the episodes. The Cosby Show? Eh. Not in the mood. House? Hell yeah. Give me a good dose of Hugh Laurie any day, and I would be a happy girl.

Two hours past, and Al still wasn't home. I looked lazily over to the digital clock and was dismayed that it was only seven o'clock. I had plenty of time to kill, but how?

The guys worked today, and that meant I couldn't harass them over Emily's, which wasn't any fun. I couldn't risk getting caught in the tides of Emily and her hormones, because hormonal Emily with a spoon firmly attached—and I suspected super glued—to her hand didn't exactly appeal to me, either.

I groaned loudly, the sound reverberating off of the walls. What was I supposed to do when my friend was patching up her love life and the guys were off doing who wants to know what with car parts?

There was a loud noise, and I jumped. It came again, and this time I felt it…in my stomach. My stomach howled again, and I blushed. It wasn't everyday I was taken unaware by my own body.

I pulled myself off of the couch, all but dragging myself towards the kitchen. I mumbled nonsensical words to myself, taking the advantage that no one was around to be able to witness and testify my psychosis. Sweet.

I shook my hips slightly, humming a boppy tune. What to eat, what to eat?

I made my way to the refrigerator, licking my lips in anticipation. I knew for a fact that there was chocolate cake in here that was still good, and I was intent on devouring every last crumb of it. My hand was right on the handle of the door when the phone started to ring.

I grumbled every step I made towards the phone. Why, oh why must the fates think it would be funny to have someone call me right when I was about to satiate my hunger? How cruel. I grabbed the phone and placed it to my ear.

"Hello?" I answered, examining my nails.

"Hey, Cass," Paul greeted. "What's up?" I immediately perked up, and I lifted myself onto the kitchen counter.

"Nothing much. Today has been…eventful up until a few hours ago, but then it just got boring." I grumbled, not entirely keeping the whine out of my voice. Paul chuckled huskily.

"What was so eventful?"

"Oh, Al just needed some encouraging to call Embry." I said, crossing my legs and leaning back to stare at the ceiling.

"She called Embry?" he asked, sounding relieved. "How on earth did you manage something like that?"

"Oh, you know, just the usual charm, grace, intellect," I gloated jokingly, and Paul laughed. "Just joking. I actually ransacked Al's closet and put on her old high school cheerleading uniform and pompoms and cheered her on."

"I wish I could've saw that," he said. "And what happened after that?" I bit my lip, a little reluctant.

"Um, I was very nearly attacked by Al when she saw that I destroyed her closet." There was a quiet pause on the other line as Paul registered what I had just said.

"How did you manage to do that?"

"Well, see, I needed pompoms and they were _very_ high up on a shelf in her closet, and I needed to get them down somehow, so I threw her geography book at it and it broke the shelf in half. Shut up, Paul. It's not funny." I snarled when all I could hear over the phone was Paul laughing.

I waited patiently for five minutes as his laughter slowly subsided into chuckles.

"Cassie, sometimes I worry about you." He teased, and I rolled my eyes. "But, there is something I wanted to ask you when I called."

"Sure, Paul. What did you want?" I picked myself off of the counter, heading over to fridge. I could talk and eat at the same time, so what was the point in starving myself?

"Well, I was just thinking…" Paul's voice was strangled, and he trailed off.

"Yeah?" I asked, opening the refrigerator door, and then my world came crashing down. All conversation was drowned out, and I nearly dropped the phone in shock.

"Oh my God." I whispered.

"Wait, what?" Paul asked, confused.

"Oh my God!" I shrieked.

"What's wrong?" Paul asked, and I could hear worry laced into his tone.

"She took it, Paul! She took it!" I was so close to crying that it was pathetic, but Al planned her revenge well.

"Who took what?"

"Al took…she took…"

"What? What did she take?"

"The cake!" I howled. There was a pause on the end of the line, and when Paul finally spoke, he kind of sounded angry. "That's it? That's what all of this is about?"

"Of course not, Paul! Not only did she take the cake, she took everything that contains _sugar_, the only thing that sustains me!" It was true; there wasn't any coke, kool-aid, sweet tea, or anything. Just water. Blech.

"Did you check the cabinets?" he asked, and I could've kissed him. I ran over to the cabinets, praying for a miracle. I swung open the doors, and was met with a depressing sight. It was vacant of cookies, cupcakes, potato chips, and anything that was delicious. There was a note, though, and I picked it up.

_Payback is a bitch, Cass._

_Love, Al_

"Is there anything left in the cabinets, Cassie?" Paul asked, and I groaned.

"Nothing that can be deemed edible, just a note from Al."

"What does it say?"

"'Payback is a bitch, Cass. Love, Al'. But, I already learned that lesson from Quil, Paul! This just isn't fair!" I whined, and Paul laughed.

"I think I can solve this problem. I'll be over in a few minutes."

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There was a knock at the door, and I all but ran to open the door. Of course it was Paul, but he was carrying several heavy-looking plastic bags that were filled with junk food. "Paul!" I greeted, placing my feet on top of his and latching my arms gratefully around his waist. He chuckled, and walked us to the living room.

Paul set the bags onto the floor, and hugged me back. "You're an Angel of Mercy, Paul." I sat, stepping off of him and peered at the bags. There were cans of coke and soda, potato chips, and all forms of sugar. Paul bent down to one of the bags and grabbed three DVD cases out.

"I thought we could watch a few movies, I mean, if you want." He said, rubbing the back of his neck nervously.

"Of course I want to. What do you have?" I prayed to God that it wasn't anything scary. But, as he held them up for me to look at, I was relieved to see that there wasn't anything horrific on the covers.

"Which one do you want to watch?" He asked, and I surveyed the titles.

"'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.' Is that okay with you?" I looked up at him. He smiled, and nodded. I took it from him and popped it into the DVD player. It whirred to life, and I grabbed the remote off of the television set.

Paul was already on the couch, and I sat down beside him. He dragged the bags to us, and I grabbed a soda out of one while he grabbed a large bag of Doritos out. As the movie started, I turned off the lamplight and settled in beside Paul.

The electricity crackled between us, and I shifted just a little away from him, not enough for him to notice. And, no matter how hard I tried to push away the thought, I couldn't help but wonder: was this sexual frustration? I blushed a tomato red, and I was immediately glad that the lights were off. Stupid Tommy for putting that into my mind! He was most certainly not getting the cheerleading outfit now.

"Hey, are you okay?" Paul asked, and I couldn't help but to blush brighter. There was that intense look in his eyes again, and I couldn't frame a coherent thought around him when he did that. I nodded my head mutely, forcing myself to stare at the screen.

No matter how hard I tried to watch the movie, I couldn't help but be aware of how close me and Paul were, and that if I moved just the _tiniest bit_…

I forced the thought out of my head, and focused on Brad Pitt's face. It was rather sad, especially how their love was damned from the beginning. It made me think about Embry and Al, and how they were coping. How would Al act when she came home?

"Damn, Cass. How much of my chips are you going to eat?" Paul teased, and I became aware that I had absent-mindedly eaten about half the chips in the bag. I withdrew my hand, blushing madly, and mumbled my apologies. Paul laughed.

"I was just joking, Cass. You can have it, if you want." He said, looking abashed. I smiled at him, and took more chips. I turned back to the movie, and Paul placed his long arm around the back of the couch, his hand barely a few centimeters away from my shoulder.

After a minute, I finally got caught up in the movie, and by the end of the movie, I was moved so closely to tears. Oh, God. Don't cry, please, God, I'm begging you. Don't cry…

"Are you crying?" Paul asked softly. Damn! I rubbed my eyes and I could feel the traitorous tears that had slipped out. "No," I said stubbornly. "I have something in my eyes, is all." My voice cracked, and I cursed quietly. Paul wrapped my in his arms, and I laid my head on his chest. His hot hands rubbed up and down on my back gently, then moved in smooth circles.

"If you don't won't me to collapse into a pool of tears, I suggest you distract me." I advised quietly. It took a minute before he replied.

"Did Allison tell you what time she was coming back?" Paul asked, and I felt thankful for the topic change.

"She said late, maybe some time in the early morning. Paul? You don't think they're going to, you know, _do it_, do you?" I asked, and Paul laughed underneath me.

"I highly doubt it, Cass."

"That sounds good. Hey, Paul?" I asked as my mind flashed to earlier.

"Yeah?"

"Earlier on the phone, you said you called to ask me something. What did you want to ask, exactly?" Paul tensed under me, and his arms tightened their hold.

"Can we talk about something else?" he asked, his voice sounding choked. I looked up at his guarded expression suspiciously.

"Come on, Paul. You can tell me." I coaxed, and he relaxed a little, but not much. I could tell he was definitely nervous, and my mind flashed back to what Tommy had said earlier. Dammit! Get out of my head!  
"I called," he said, clearing his throat uneasily. "To…"

"To…?" I asked, waiting for him to answer.

"To…ask you to the bonfire Saturday night." He was tense again, and at first I didn't understand why. It was just a bonfire, right? What was so upsetting about…it… Then it clicked. He was asking me to _go with him_.

"Like a date?" I tried to ask in a casual manner, but failed miserably. He nodded his head, a desolate expression on his face, like he was afraid that I would reject him. Would I reject him? Should I? _Could_ I?

"I'd love to go, Paul." I said, hiding my face in his shoulder. It was the truth, and that was putting it lightly. I couldn't help but feel overjoyed, and I didn't know where it was coming from. But, I was also feeling overwhelmingly shy, and I didn't want him to see the renewed tears in my eyes.

Paul hugged tighter, and he placed his face on top of my hair, breathing in deeply. He laughed slightly, and I knew he must have been really nervous about asking me.

"How long have you been waiting to ask me?" I asked quietly, and Paul chuckled again, this time sounding more on the sad side.

"A while," was all he said, and I smiled. A while. Right now, those were the two most beautiful words I had ever heard. Sexual frustration? No. I had a feeling that this was something much, much more powerful than that.

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It was past eleven now, and Paul said he had to go meet Sam and the guys down at the shop for some inventory or something. I was sad to see him go, but I knew I would see him again soon enough.

Paul headed towards the door, after having insisted that I kept the junk food, that he had too much of that at his house. I trailed after him, trying to force the put off of my face. I didn't want to come off as clingy already.

Paul stopped abruptly, and I almost bumped into him. I looked up at him, and he was looking at me strongly. He placed his hands on my shoulders, and before I could figure out what he was doing, his lips were on mine. My heartbeat spiked, and all the blood in my face rushed to my cheeks.

Unwittingly, I threw my arms around his neck enthusiastically and pressed myself against him. Paul chuckled, picking me up in his arms so that he wouldn't have to crane his neck downward to kiss me. After a minute, or ten, I pulled back for breath, and Paul did the same. Not wanting to come off porno, I disentangled myself from his arms, ignoring his pout. I was a bit shaky, and I had to grab onto the wall for support. _Wow_.

"That's what I was thinking." Paul teased, kissing me chastely once more on the lips. "I'll see you Saturday night, say, around seven?" I nodded my head, already feeling depressed. Paul cupped my cheek in a large hand, and I automatically leaned into it.

"It's only until Saturday," Paul reassured me softly.

"Yeah, three days away." I grumbled, and Paul laughed.

"Good night, Cassie." Paul said, and I stretched on tiptoes to kiss him again.

"Night." I mumbled against his lips.

Five minutes later, Paul and I untangled from each other, panting lightly. I laughed, grinning. "I hope we don't turn into one of those couples who have to tell each other goodbye for ten minutes."

Paul grinned, too. "I wouldn't mind it, though." He reached down to give me one more kiss before leaving. I walked up the stairs into my room, where I had a feeling that I would spend the whole night hyperventilating.

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**Okay, SO, I finally got Paul and Cassie together ['bout freaking time], and hopefully their kissing didn't come out too porno. Cassie kind of went Bella on Paul, but no way was I having Paul do an Edward on her and pull away. Nun-uh, girlfriend. **

**Damn, Invisible Truths got first review AGAIN. You go, girlfriend. ;)**

**Pocket-93: I'm afraid I've got big plans for Tommy, and he's not exactly going to be single when I'm done with this story. Gah, I'm sorry!**

**alyse: I'm glad I can make you happy, but don't be surprised if I can't update over the weekends. I'm sorry! :(**

**iluvshim: Yeah, Tommy's kind of like a mixture of Cassie and the guys, in a way. I love Tommy, too. Hope to hear from you!**

**Yodes: I've got, like, six other stories forming in my head, and sadly not all of them will have a dippy main character like Cassie. So, please don't poke me with your spoon o' death! :o**

**taybaybay: Thank you very much. Hopefully you'll like this chapter, too. :D**

**ThexWorld'sxAxBrokenxBone: Nice to finally hear from you. Cassie will definitely be meeting at least one Cullen in this story. I don't think she'll meet the WHOLE family, because that would kind of be packing it in. And as for Tommy, he just has a crush on Cassie. Nothing major like how Jacob felt about Bella. I really don't want a whole 'Eclipse' war breaking out between Paul and Tommy. **

**Gryffindor Gurl2: Thank you very uber much. When do I not hear from you? ;D**

**VampireNinjaK14: Oh my gosh. I just love Emmett! He and Jasper were always my two favorites. -wink wink- Aren't happy dances the best kind of dances? I always do one when I see reviews. :)**

**Anonymous (x2): I think a cheerleading outfit on Tommy would be smexay. Just kidding. Thanks for reviewing so awesomely [twice!]**

**Starkissedtulip: You finally reviewed! YES! One down, a million more to go...But Tommy WILL get together with someone by the end of the story. And he will make that person hella lucky. **

**jjfad14: When I first made Tommy, I was thinking about turning him gay. I seriously did. And I'm still thinking about it, though I think I'll just keep him straight. Thanks for reviewing!**

**PS: You guys totally kicked ass this time. Thirteen reviews for ONE chapter! Woo!  
**

**Okay, so please press the pretty 'review' button, and make me happy! 8D**


	13. Chapter Thirteen

**Author's Note:**

**Okay, I just want to get this out: I do not like this chapter. Sure, it has got its moments, but otherwise...blech. The next one I will DEFINITELY be humorous; I don't think I'd be able to survive, otherwise. **

**I would have posted this chapter yesterday if not for these things:**

**My nephews and nieces came over to spend the day. [Don't be fooled; I'm only fifteen.]**

**I was in mourning: I let the kids play with my precious fagoogly [It was like this awesome silly puddy that was all squishy 'n stuff], BUT then as the morning progressed, the oldest [spitefully] said he threw a piece of it away 'cause I got on his nerves; and my other nephew and one of my nieces just demolished it. Pieces were missing and the ones I found later were all clumpy and nasty. Needless to say I had to throw those away. I only had my fagoogly for a count of TWO DAYS. And lastly:**

**The Chapter wasn't finished. Yes, I know, bad, bad author. BUT, I finished it early this morning--one o'clock--and I tried to upload the chapter, but the document manager was down. **

**So, that's it. But, I would like to thank the people who reviewed. I can't list them out like some of the times I do it, but you know who you are, and I would really LOVE it if you guys kept reviewing, even if it is to cuss me out for my suckishness or if it is just to sympathize for my precious fagoogly. **

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Twilight, just the set and the clothes on my back.  
**

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**Two Days Left and Counting**

I had been right: I hyperventilated most of the night and hardly got but an hour of sleep before Al came jumping on my bed.

"Oh my gosh! Cassie! Embry is _perfect_!" she squealed in my ear, and I threw my pillow at her. "Cassie, get up! I. Have. To. Tell. You. About. Last night!" Al whacked my head, and I groaned, sitting up.

Al gaped at me. "My God. You look _terrible_." I scowled darkly at her.

"Yeah, I just _love_ hearing that from people when I wake up." I said sarcastically, smoothing down a huge cowlick of hair.

"Well, back to me—"

"Good morning to you, too, Selfish Sally." Al glared at me before choosing to ignore my sardonic statement.

"Last night was _perfect_. Embry was such a gentleman. I wasn't ready when he came by, and he waited for me, without complaining, if you could imagine! And when he was driving, he asked me if I was hungry and if I wanted something to eat!

"But of course I said no—I was to nervous to eat and we had things to discuss. So, when we got to his house, he opened the door for me, both to the truck _and_ the door to the house!" she paused for a minute, to edit something out.

"Well, he had to go a little after eleven, and I was sad to see him go, but he said that I could stay over, and he let me sleep in his bed!" she squealed, and I cringed. "And, when I woke up, I was in _his arms_! Oh my God…oh my God…" For five minutes straight, she repeated that sentence like it was a mantra, fanning herself. I was glad for her, don't get me wrong, but my night was so much better in my mind.

My daydream was interrupted when Al spoke. "So, how was your night?" she asked slyly. I smiled tauntingly at her.

"I suppose I should thank you for taking all of the junk food, otherwise Paul wouldn't have come over." Al gaped at me.

"What?!"

"Yeah, I told Paul how you took all the edible food and left me to starve, and he came over and brought an ass-load of junk food and movies." I gloated, and I couldn't keep the pride out of my tone. Al grabbed my shoulders, her nails digging into my skin.

"Tell. Me. More."

For a whole hour, I went into full detail of last night, and Al would squeal over certain parts, such as how Paul comforted me when I cried, how nervous he got when he admitted to me that he called to ask me on a date, and especially when we kissed.

"W-ow." Al said, falling back onto my bed beside me. "So, you guys are going out, now?" she asked, and I snorted.

"No, Al. We're just going to be friends with benefits." I said wryly, and she stuck her tongue out at me. "So, does this mean you and Embry are going out again?" Al immediately sobered.

"Yes, we are, but we're going to take it kind of slow so I can get used to…it." She said, and I was curious as to what she meant. I was about to ask her when my cell phone started to ring. I snatched it off of the nightstand eagerly, hoping it was Paul. But, I was disappointed when I read the caller ID: Tommy. Then, I felt guilty for feeling that way towards him.

"Hey, Tommy." I said. Al eyed me suspiciously, but I just rolled my eyes at her.

"Hey, there. I was getting worried because you haven't come in, yet." He informed me, and I mentally smacked myself.

"Ugh, I'm sorry, Tommy. I totally forgot. I'll be there in about…an hour." I said, and he chuckled.

"See you then."

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I walked into the café, and looked around. It was very nearly empty, except for a group of adults talking in the center of the restaurant. I sat down in my usual table, and tapped my fingers nervously against the tabletop. I don't know why, but I wasn't really excited to tell Tommy about Paul.

"Hey there, Cass." Tommy said, bringing my order over and sitting down. "So, what's up?"

"Nothing much." I said, taking a bite of my bagel. Tommy looked at me strangely, then narrowed his eyes.

"What happened?" he asked. I looked up at him guiltily.

"Paul asked me out on a date." I said, barely containing the cheer in my voice. This was no time to brag about it. Tommy looked at me confusedly.

"And you said yes, I take it?" Tommy said, and I nodded. After a moment of silence, Tommy smiled.

He snapped his fingers. "Oh, damn. Looks like he won, after all." I looked up at him, and he had the same mischievous sparkle in his eyes like he always did. He was either genuinely happy for me, or he was a damned good liar.

"So," I said slowly. "You're…not mad?" Tommy thought about this for a minute, before replying in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Not mad, just a little disappointed that I didn't get to you first, is all." I furrowed my eyebrows at him, and he laughed.

"So, you're not pissed off at me, are you?"

"Of course not, Cassie dear. How could I ever be mad at you? Granted, I am a little saddened by your lack of taste," he teased, winking, making me laugh. "But, I trust you to know what's good for you."

I felt myself tear up, and I blinked away the tears. "Aw, Tommy. You're the best guy friend a girl could have." Tommy laughed at this, placing his hand over mine.

"But, you have to agree to something for me," he said, and I looked at him suspiciously. "If you two ever break up, you have to swear to me that you'll come straight to me so I can seduce you in your distressed state."

I chuckled, and placed a hand to my heart. "I swear to it, Tommy."

Tommy smiled, satisfied. "Good. Now, how about we get off of this topic? What else is new for you?"

"Al and Embry are back together, I think." I said, and Tommy smiled. "That's great that they can put difference beside and overcome obstacles."

"Yeah, but we've talked so much about those two. Tell me, how's life for you?" I asked. Tommy thought for a minute.

"Well, my sister just had twins—both boys, her husband's a jerk on ice, and my parents just finalized their divorce." I looked at him, shocked.

"Oh my gosh! Why didn't you tell me this before?" I asked. God, it must suck to have a brother-in-law like that, and have your parents divorce. I wouldn't know what to do if my parents separated.

Tommy smirked, rolling his eyes. "It's nothing big, Cass. It's not like my life's coming to an end."

"B-But your parents are getting a _divorce_." I said, making it sound like a dirty word. Tommy laughed loudly. "So is about half the population of the United States, Cass. Really, it's no big deal. It's been coming for a long time, and they just couldn't salvage what they used to have."

"But, aren't you just a little, I don't know, shocked?" I asked. Tommy turned my hand over, and fiddled with my fingers.

"Not really. Almost all of my relatives are divorced: aunts and uncles, grandparents, parents; the only people who are still married are my sister—which is heading down the drain, if you ask me—and my six year-old cousin, who believes that he's married to _Hannah Montana_." He said, and I could only stare at him, mouth agape. He looked up at me, grinning. "Don't act so surprised, Cass. I mean, my whole life isn't as bad as it sounds. I've got a family who loves me—with the exception of my brother-in-law, of course. We may be clinically insane, but that doesn't affect our social standing.

"So, it isn't really bad. On the contrary, I've got a good life."

I looked at him skeptically. "Name one other excellent thing in your life to convince me that you actually do have a good life."

"Well, I met a wonderful girl who has given me the honor of being her best guy-friend, _and_ she swore to me that I can seduce her after her and her boyfriend break up. Now, if that isn't a damned good life, I don't know what is."

"Fine, just shut up. You're making me cry." I snapped, wiping my eyes. Tommy chuckled, smiling at me. I checked the time on my cell phone, and it was getting late. Al would be wondering where I was.

"I've gotta go." I grumbled standing up. Tommy smiled sadly at me, standing up, too, to give me a hug.

"Tommy?" I asked. "Were you serious about what you said?"

"Of course, Cass. You know I'm not the type of guy who hands out insincere compliments just to get in a girl's pants; I'm way more crafty than that." I laughed, and he did, too, but I had to leave and he had to get back to work with his mom. We said our goodbyes, and I went out to my car.

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_The Night of the bonfire_

I didn't know why I was so nervous. Why was I so nervous?

I wrung my hands in my lap, biting my lip. Al was chattering on about something, nonsensical to my wandering mind. She was throwing clothes about, critiquing each one, before she shook her head and threw whatever it was across the room.

Paul kept crossing my mind. I kept thinking of how we met at Emily's, and how weeks after that I was convinced that him and Embry were out to get me. The thought made me smile through the anxiety, but it didn't last long. It had been two days since I last saw Paul. So, what if he had changed his mind about me? Met some other girl that was better looking than me? Or, oh my God, had _bigger boobs_ _than me_?

"Cassie! Are you even listening to me?" Al asked, hands on hips. Embry had invited her, too, and I couldn't help but wish he hadn't. She was now utterly convinced that we had to wear only our best clothes and insisted that I should dress up. Yeah, right.

"No, Al. I am not listening." I said, staring out the window. It was drizzling slightly, but it would clear up before we left.

A shirt hit me in the face. "Cassidy, do you or do you not want to look good for Paul?" Al asked, and I raised an eyebrow. "So you're calling me ugly now?" I teased.

Al growled a sigh and flopped down beside me on the bed. "You're not helping my sanity; there's only so much I can take before I go coo-coo in the cocoa puffs, Cass." I rolled my eyes at her.

"I don't like dressing up, Al. You know that. Plus, I've already got my outfit picked out and everything." I said matter-of-factly. Al turned her head to eye me critically. "What are you going to wear, Cassie?"

I got up off of the bed and went into my room, and brought back a plain black tank top and a pair of cut-off jean shorts. When Al saw them, she groaned, falling onto her back on the bed.

My eyebrows furrowed angrily. "What's wrong with these?" I asked indignantly, and Al scoffed loudly.

"They're so…_plain_, Cassie. How are you going to stand out in those?"

"Maybe I don't _want to stand out_." I snapped. I couldn't help it; I was already nervous about the whole thing, and Al was just making it worse.

Al glared at me. "Cassie, you're being ridiculous. Don't you want to look good for Paul?" I felt my blood boil, my eyes narrowing into slits.

"So, what you're trying to say is that I don't look _good_?" I knew it was petty of me to bitch about it, but I wasn't in the mood for her criticism. Al's expression quickly into horror, her eyes widening. "No, Cass! You know I didn't mean it like that! I—"

"Whatever, Al. Just hurry up and get ready." I shot back, grabbing my clothes and walked out of the room, slamming the door behind me. As I made my way down the stairs, I immediately felt guilty for being so rude, but I just couldn't help it. It just…irked me, the thought that I couldn't look good for Paul without going all-out in my choice of wardrobe. If he didn't leave me for not being pretty enough, then he would certainly leave me for being a hormonal bitch.

After I had dressed, putting on the shirt and shorts, I slipped on some black flip-flops and pulled my hair back in a messy ponytail. I applied some eyeliner and mascara, making sure that it didn't leave my eyelashes clumped. I could hear Al shuffling around in her room, mumbling angrily to herself. Whether it was because of me or the lack of clothes, I couldn't be sure.

About an hour later, as I was flipping the channels on the television, Al slunk into the room, looking at me sheepishly. We both spoke at the same time, saying our apologies.

"I guess we both acted like idiots, huh?" Al joked, and I glared playfully at her.

"Speak for yourself." I teased, pushing her shoulder lightly.

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"Quit doing that, Cass. You're making me nervous." Al said, and I stilled my arms. It was five minutes until seven, and the guys were due anytime. I was starting to see what Al had meant by plain, especially when I stood next to her. She was dressed in bright colors—all stylishly coordinated, damn her—and her hair was total and utter perfection. I looked towards the clock anxiously, and I briefly wondered if it was too late to actually give a damn about my appearance and fix my hair and make-up a bit?

There was a loud knock on the door, and I resisted the urge to groan. Shoot me now. Please.

Al all but ran to the door, unlocking and opening the door with quick jerks of her wrist. Paul and Embry were there, both dressed in wife-beater shirts—I couldn't help but notice how the black shirt Paul wore emphasized his muscles—and jeans.

Embry grinned at Al, reaching forward to wrap an arm around her shoulders. He kissed her forehead, and her answering smile was radiant. I looked away and towards Paul, who beamed once he saw that he had my full attention. He didn't wait for me to come to him, instead just taking long strides to get to where I hung back. Warm arms encircled me, and he lifted me to kiss me on the lips. The slight pressure of his lips sent tingles down my spine, and set my face on fire. I happily complied, wrapping my arms around his neck and moving my lips against his.

"Oo, get freaky." Quil walked inside the house, his arm wrapped around a petite blond. "But, compared to me and Claire-bear, you guys can't kiss worth—ow! Claire! I was just _sayin_'! No, baby! Not the look! _No_!" Quil said, falling to his knees. "_I'm melting! Melting_!" The blond—Claire—just rolled her eyes and laughed.

Paul quirked an eyebrow inquisitively. "He have sugar?"

"Only for breakfast, brunch, lunch, snack-time, dinner and supper." Claire said, eyeing Quil appreciatively. I, however, was caught on what she had just said. Did the guys really eat _that_ much?

"Are we going to meet Seth and Jake there, too?" I asked. Quil looked up at me from the floor, and nodded his head enthusiastically. "Jake's bringing Nessie, so you'll get to meet her, too."

Jake has a girlfriend? Named Nessie? Like, after the Lochness Monster? I was tempted to ask, but I decided against it. It would have been rude.

"So," Embry said conversationally. "Cassie, how long are you going to stay like that?" It took me a minute to realize what he was talking about, but then I felt Paul against me, and I could only imagine how it must have looked.

With color surging through my cheeks, I hopped down from Paul's embrace. Quil chuckled at me, about to say something that was obviously meant to degrade me but was cut off by Paul's death glare.

"Are you ready to go, Cassie?" Paul asked me, wrapping an arm around my waist. I looked up at him—I had to crane my neck just to look at him, he was so damned tall—and smiled weakly.

"Let's get this show on the road!" Quil hollered, marching out the door with Claire in tow. I could only imagine what she had to put up on a day-to-day basis.

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**Okay, I feel like I need to explain a couple of points:**

**1. Al is trying to take things slow with Embry, which I highly doubt will continue**

**2. I decided to have a fight between Al and Cassie because neither of them are Mary-Sues and that would have just been...boring if they along all the time.**

**3. Cassie was irritable because she was nervous about what was going to happen with Paul--she was very unsure of herself, at the time.**

**4. Tommy couldn't throw a hissy fit; he's Tommy! Like I said in the previous chapter, Tommy only has a minor crush on Cassie. Nothing huge. So, that means he can let go of her easily; they'll only be friends in this story.  
**

**5. Claire and Nessie are grown now---it's been years. I would say Claire is around...seventeen. [Or at least in my story. The math is off, but I think she should have a relationship with Quil. It's too cute!**

**6. Seth will not have an imprint in this story; I'm saving the idea for another story, and I'm going to make that one humorous, too. **

**Okay, so I think that'll be all. If there's anything you guys are confused about, leave the question on a review and I'll post the answer on the next chapter. **

**Next chapter will be the bonfire, and I have yet to get started on it. So, I'm afraid it'll be a couple of days [two, or maybe three].  
**


	14. Chapter Fourteen

**Author's Note**

**Wassup, readers? Two days. It took me THAT LONG to finish this chapter when it normally takes me, like, two hours to write a chapter. [Depends on length] But, this is eleven or twelve pages long. I know. When I checked it, I was like, "DAY-AMN! I'm freaking awesome!" ....I think very highly of myself now.**

**Okay, no secret that last chapter was a flop. A total zookado, if I am allowed to insert a word I just now made up. And, I am allowed to do that because this is my story that is taking up precious space on this website. Yeah, I'm that bad ass. So, if you guys haven't guessed by the rambling of this Note and the fact I haven't gotten ANYWHERE with it, I'm _hyper_. To the extreme. Now, let me continue: I got eight reviews, so I'm not PO'd 'cause even I know it sucked. Majorly. But I would like to thank the guys who REVIEWED, assured me that it was OK, and actually sympathized for my precious Fagoogly. I miss him dearly.  
**

**So, I didn't intend for this chapter to be so damned long; it just happened. Kind of like how you get pregnant, just without all the sweaty fun. Okay...maybe just a little of that. But, you get what I mean. Hopefully. **

**And, if you guys haven't noticed yet either, I'm still trying to perfect my writing [Nowhere near where I want it to be]. I want it nice and fluid, but when I read it...it's just all choppy. Blech. But, practice makes perfect, and this story has provided awesome practice. Plus, I get to gloat to my friends how awesome my reviewers are. [None of them are writers, so my pride is slightly marred. But that's okay!] **

**Regarding Anonymous's last review: 'Cause I'm and evil bitch. Plus, the evil side always gets the coolest stuff. Chya. And your first review, in an Alice moment...you are going to be disappointed with the stories. Evil, I know. Nyeh. :P  
**

**So, I hit over ONE HUNDRED REVIEWS! BOO YAH! And I also got a new reviewer: _Yining'n'Yanging_**.** I better hear more from you! And, sorry to disappoint--I've been doing that a lot lately, huh?--Tommy isn't going to be single by the end of this story. I apologize, Tommy-licious fans!  
**

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Twilight; that lucky biotch Stephenie Meyer does. But, if my plan goes wonderfully, she won't be for long...  
**

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**Jealousy and Cliff-Diving**

"Okay, guys, pile in." Embry ordered. Al was in the passenger seat, and he was in the driver's side, so Paul, Quil, Claire and I had to squish ourselves in the back. The guys were big, and took up a lot of space. Claire unabashedly hopped into Quil's lap, smiling in satisfaction. I grimaced lightly as Paul lifted me into the van, situating me so that I would be comfortable. His warm arms wrapped around my waist, pulling me so my back was pressed against his chest so he could rest his chin on my shoulder.

Quil and Claire chattered away quietly, and Al and Embry held hands in the front. Paul and I were silent, enjoying the companionable silence between us. I fiddled with Paul's fingers, trying to pin down his thumb. I growled in frustration, using both hands to mash it downward, but I only moved him a fraction. Paul chuckled quietly, moving his hand so he pinned _my_ thumb down with ease. I glared at his smirking face, making him smile wider.

"I think it would be better if you used a steel bat, Cass." Paul teased, and I scowled darkly at his sharp features. "Don't give me ideas, bud." I threatened, and he laughed, kissing my forehead affectionately.

It was a short ride to the beach, and I sighed in disappointment when it was time to get out. I opened the door, hopping out. Paul eased himself out, ducking so he wouldn't bang his head on the car. He grabbed my hand, encasing it in his long, warm fingers. I nearly fainted in delight, and I leaned into him for support. He smiled happily, releasing my hand and wrapped an arm around me.

"Touching leads to babies!" Quil mocked. I turned to glare at Quil's impish expression, and I stuck my tongue out at him. "Oo! Paul, you need to get your woman! She's trying to give me some _tongue action_!" My face flushed to a painful degree, and Paul turned back to glower fiercely at his friend.

"Cassie? How about you go one ahead? I've got to have a _talk_ with Quil." Not wanting to hold him back from his fun, I released his waist, grinning at the horrified expression plastered to Quil's face. Claire detached herself from him, making Quil look even more horror-struck as he realized that he was going to be alone to face Paul.

"Come on, Cass," Claire said, linking her arm through mine. "Let's go see where Emily and the rest of the gang are." I smiled, letting her lead me, Embry and Al to the bonfire. I tuned out Quil's cries for assistance as Paul advanced on him, and I smiled in satisfaction.

"Paul would make a good attack dog for you," Claire teased, grinning mischievously at me. "Sorry about Quil; he can be such a dolt, at times."

"It's okay. I find his sense of humor…refreshing at times." I said, and Claire laughed. The fire was roaring and high in the sky. Kids ran around, playing in the water and people were scattered about, plates of food in hand. Elderly people sat around in groups, talking and gesticulating wildly to emphasize their stories. As I scanned around, I caught sight of Jake with his arm around a pretty girl with copper curls. I admitted to myself that the term 'pretty' was used lightly when used to describe her, and I was also just the tiniest bit envious.

"Fwup, guymphs?" Seth asked with his mouth full of food. I rolled my eyes at Seth, but smiled at his terrible manners.

"Nothing much, Seth. But, next time you talk, can you swallow your food first instead of displaying it for the whole world to see?" I teased. Seth pouted, and swallowed the food. "Much better."

"Hey, guys." Jake said, walking towards us, the girl named Nessie clinging to his arm. It wasn't, well, _clingy_, but affectionate. Claire ran forward to hug Nessie, and whispered something in her ear. She laughed, rolling her eyes. Turning to Jake, she said, "Jake, I think you need to go make sure Paul hasn't murdered Quil and is trying to escape into Canada."

"I don't think he'd do that since he would be leaving something special behind." He said, winking conspicuously at me. I scowled at him as he passed me, mussing my hair in a brotherly fashion. Jake could really get on my nerves at times.

"Where did Al and Embry go?" Claire asked. I looked around, turning a full three hundred and sixty degrees but didn't catch a glimpse of them.

"I don't know." I said, immediately feeling suspicious. They better had not be doing anything naughty, because if I find out, there will be hell to pay.

"Well, they'll turn up soon enough," Nessie assured. "My name's Renesmee, but you can just call me Nessie."

"Cassie," I said, smiling shyly at her. She beamed radiantly, showing off perfect teeth that no amount of orthodontia would make my teeth nearly as straight and white. "Hey, I'm hungry. How about we head over to the food table?"

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It was nearly thirty minutes later Paul returned, a satisfied smile on his face. He sat down beside me on the sand, nonchalantly taking a chip off of my plate. Quil and Jake trailed behind him. Jake guided Quil with a large hand on his back, and I noticed the small limp in Quil's step. I glared at Paul, as in to say, _What did you do?_, but Paul just his shrugged his shoulders, smiling disarmingly at me. _Nothing terribly bad._

"Damn mother fgrlmerpher…" Quil grumbled, shoving food in his mouth unattractively as Claire patted his shoulder comfortingly. "_Dun't tmfuch mfh Clairf_."

"Swallow your food, Quil." Claire chided. Quil sent her a death glare, making a big show of downing his masticated food before elaborating.

"I said, _don't touch me Claire_. You are a traitorous woman, and I shall be damned to a bottomless, foodless pit of hell if I let you work your wily charms on me."

Claire smiled at him, dimples showing. She ran a hand up his arm and trailed a finger under his jaw line. He squeaked, jumping up and pointed a shaky finger at her. "Temptress! Succubus! Thou shalt not _seduce me_! Quick, Jake, get me some Holy Water and a Bible! Quick man—Gah! _No_!" he screamed as Claire tackled him, pecking kisses all over his face.

"Quil, since when do you read the Bible? The last time you went to Church was when you were twelve, and even then you fell asleep halfway through the sermon." Jake teased. Quil glared—the intensity of it slightly marred by the lipstick impressions left behind by Claire's lips.

"I'll have you know, good sir, that I just _happen_ to read it all the time. Hell, I was even thinking of becoming a priest. So, quit your laughing, 'cause I can assure you that when I look down at you guys from my angelic seat in Heaven, I'll be laughing my ass off while you guys turn into fried bacon."

"Dude," Jake scoffed. "I bet you don't even know _one_ of the Ten Commandments."

"I so totally do!"

"Oh yeah? What?" Paul challenged, and Quil looked down his nose at him.

"Easy: '_Thou shall not covet thy neighbor's ass_.'" He said, smirking proudly as the rest of us smothered laughter.

"Dude, that is _not _in the Bible." Seth chuckled. Quil rolled his eyes superiorly, looking up to the sky. "Oh, our Lord in Heaven, forgive these poor men of their trespasses and sins."

"Ah, can it Quil," Paul said. "You are perhaps the worst out of all of us with sinning."

Quil snorted. "Oh, _please_, Paulie my dear. You are way worse than me, especially since you break the _Thou-shall-not-covet-thy-neighbor's-ass_ commandment about twenty times a week." All talking ceased, even from the people apart from our group. A cold trickle of uneasiness tingled through my spine. Everyone was staring at Quil, then Paul's enraged face, then to mine, where it lingered. I knew what they were seeing, and what they were feeling. I could see it plain as day etched across their faces: pity. _Oh, God_.

Paul's chest rumbled, and I watched as his face contorted and how he trembled violently beside me. Quil's expression was horrified, his eyes wide and mouth slightly agape. I couldn't tell if it was because he knew he had a major ass kicking coming his way, or if it was because of what he just said. I opted for both.

"Quil." Paul growled, almost like a warning. He stood slowly—quite a feat with all of the shaking—and advanced towards the terrified Quil. Every time he took a step forward, Quil took one backward, towards the dark woods. I felt someone shaking my shoulder gently, and I turned to see Nessie's concerned eyes.

"Are you okay?" she asked, and I wasn't quite sure of my answer. Paul had told me before that he had dated countless girls—he couldn't even remember how many he had dated. It's just that, I never thought of him doing _it_ with them. So, I did the only thing I could do: shrug my shoulders like the helpless idiot I felt I had been magically deduced to.

When I turned back, I caught a last glimpse of Paul as he headed into the woods behind Quil, still shaking like a tuning fork. I couldn't help the surge of pity that raged through me as I thought of Quil's expression, like a man sentenced to die. I just really hoped he made it out in one piece.

"Oh, God, Cassie," Claire gasped. "I am _really_ sorry about Quil. It's just that he can be such a brainless idiot sometimes. It's almost like he doesn't even have a brain filter—"

"It's okay, Claire. I'm fine, I really am." I said smoothly, not a hint of deception evident in my tone. She eyed me critically for a moment, and Nessie did the same, although she wasn't as bold and blunt.

"O-kay, if you say so…" Claire trailed off. "How about we get you some more food, huh? That will take our minds off of this mess." Without further word, she dragged me to a table, ditching my previous platter and grabbed a new Styrofoam plate. Claire piled it high with various foods and shoved it into my less than eager hands. I looked down at the food, and my stomach did an unnatural flop, and I felt nauseous.

"I can't eat this," I grumbled pathetically. "I need to…take a walk." I heard her call my name behind my back as I hastily walked away from the bonfire, avoiding prying and morbidly interested eyes as I made my way down the beach. It was ridiculous, really, how I felt so betrayed, and so jealous of girls I hadn't even known existed until recently. But I could feel my eyes narrow and my blood boil as the flurry of emotions did a conga-line in my stomach and chest cavity.

When I was satisfied with the distance I put between myself and the party-goers, I unceremoniously plopped myself down onto the sand. I kicked off my flip-flops angrily and glared at the full moon. I felt my jealousy turn towards it. What? Did it sleep with him, too? It was certainly pretty, and it probably even had bigger boobs than I did.

The water washed up on the shore, making gentle rushing noises. I watched it disdainfully as it licked the sand, going back and forth indecisively. What? Is the sand not good enough for you, either? Freaking man-whore.

I drew my knees up to rest my chin on them. A few minutes later, I heard footsteps heading my way, and I rubbed away the treacherous tears from my eyes so they wouldn't testify my hopelessness. Paul called my name cautiously, but I didn't even turn to look at him. I heard his hesitant footsteps coming towards me, and felt the sand shift as he sat down beside me. It was quiet, and the water reached forward to caress the sand.

"I'm…not good with apologies, Cassie, but I am sorry for…_that_." I traced a finger through the sand, doodling nonsensical pictures as he continued. "If I had known, I wouldn't have done any of those things."

"Known what? That you would get caught?" I snapped. Paul flinched away from my forceful words, and tried to take my hand in his. I snatched it away and watched as his face fell.

"Cassie, those girls never meant anything to me. You're the only one I've _ever_ cared about." He insisted, and I snorted disdainfully.

"So, they were all just for sex and fun, right?" I shot back, refusing to let that last sentence deter me. Paul buried his face in his hands and took deep breaths. His words came out muffled.

"Yeah, they were."

I was slightly shocked at his bluntness, but this was Paul: he didn't give or take bullshit. I struggled to keep my face smooth. "Is that what I'm for?" There was a whoosh of wind as Paul's head snapped up, eyes wide and aghast.

"No! I never even considered using you for those things! Not even for a _second_. I would never do something as stupid as that when there will be a risk that I could lose you." His words warmed me considerably, but I refuse to let him out of the danger zone so soon.

"Are you sure about that, Paul?" I asked skeptically. "Seriously? Because what happens the next time you want a little 'fun'? I can't give it to you. I'm a _virgin_, Paul, and I plan to stay that way for quite a while." It was a huge jump to play the V card, but I needed him to know.

If Paul was shocked, it didn't show. "It doesn't matter, Cassie. I won't pressure you to do something you wouldn't want to do, I swear. Not until you're ready to give it a try." He said, taking both of my hands in his. I couldn't deny that truth rang in his words, and I felt a shy smile creep its way onto my face. I nodded, and he smiled at me affectionately.

"Do you want to head back?" Paul asked.

"Nah," I said, looking up at the moon. "Not just yet."

Paul wrapped his arm around me, and I rested my head onto his warm shoulder. A happy smile tugged at my lips. But, something still bothered me.

"Paul?" I asked, looking up at him. Paul looked down at me, raising an eyebrow questioningly. "Did you have sex with the moon?"

"What!" he asked incredulously. His eyes were so wide I could see the whites of them, and his jaw dropped. I giggled, placing my head back onto his shoulder. "That's good to know, Paul."

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"You guys totally missed the story, Paul." Jake informed. "What were you two doing, any way?"

"Probably making babies by the dozen." Quil teased, winking slyly at me. Paul growled at him, tightening his grip on my hand.

"That's a shame," Claire put in. "That you missed the story, Cassie. It was so wonderful, and there wasn't a closed eye around." I just shrugged my shoulders.

"It's okay. Maybe we can catch it next time?" I said, looking up to Paul's grimacing face. He smoothed out his face, smiling slightly.

"Yeah, next time."

"Hey, what did we miss?" Embry called. He and Al emerged from the woods and made their way towards us. Even from here, I could see Embry's idiotic smile and Al's dazed eyes and swollen lips. _Ew_.

"Stuff." Quil said vaguely, shifty-eyed. Claire punched him in the shoulder, and smiled as the two finally came down to join the group.

"You missed Quil getting his ass kicked by Paul _twice_, and you missed the story. But otherwise, nothing really."

Embry guffawed loudly as Quil pouted petulantly at him. "You wouldn't be laughing if Paul was after you, man."

"But it _was_ funny," Nessie put in. "You should have seen Quil when P—"

"Let's go cliff-diving!" Quil interjected. "Come on, Claire-Bear, lets show these amateurs how it's done."

I watched in horror as I saw where the group was heading: a big cliff right above the water. I looked up to Paul, incredulous. "They're going up _there_?" I squeaked. Paul chuckled, picking me up so that he could carry me bridal style.

"Correction: _we're_ going up there." He walked after the group, easily gaining ground with his long legs. I stiffened in his arms, just entranced—in a bad way—by the dark, looming cliff that would perpetually, and most likely, be the cause of my death.

"Paul," I said urgently. "No. _No, Paul_. Stay! No! Sit! Heel, boy! _Heel_!" Paul just rolled his eyes at me, smiling. I struggled in his grasp, but I couldn't even budge him. "Please, Paul. I'm hate heights and plummeting to raging water below. So, how about we stay here where there is no risk of death, huh? Doesn't that sound _fun_?"

"You know, you're very pretty when you're scared." Paul teased, and I glowered at him.

"Well, I must be drop damn sexy because I am freaking _terrified_! Now, let me down!" I howled, beating across his chest. Paul ignored my protests and continued up and up until we reached the top. The wind was blowing, and the group were just having a ball up here, teasing each other and nominating who should go first.

As Paul tried to let me down, I latched onto him, wrapping my arms in a death grip around his neck.

"Aw! Is little Cassie afraid of heights?" Quil teased. I didn't say anything because Paul was trying his best to pry my hands off of him, and he almost succeeded until I wrapped my legs around his waist, effectively leeching onto him.

"It's actually kind of fun, once you get used to it." Al assured me, helping Paul release my death grip on him.

"So, what? You've done this before?" I asked, tightening my grip on Paul. Al nodded her head, eyebrows furrowing as she tried uselessly to get me off of him.

"Well, you can do it for the both of us, _because I'm not going to_!" I declared, hiding my eyes in Paul's chest. It was quiet, except for a round of chuckles. I didn't care to look up at what they were doing, and I certainly didn't care to jump off a freaking cliff, either.

"Cass," Paul said, tightening his grip on me. "If I were you, I'd hold on _extra tight_." His warning caught me off guard, and the only thing I could coherently think was, _Aw, hell no_! But it was too late, and I let out a shriek as Paul jumped over the edge. We plummeted downward, and I dug my nails hatefully into his skin.

Less than a second later we were submerged in icy water, and I was clinging onto him desperately as we came up to air. I seethed in silence as he swam us back to the shore, my lips mashed into a thin line.

Paul walked onto the shore and let go of my waist. I slid off of him, and fell down to the sandy ground. Slowly, I looked up at him and just glared. "Cassie, are you okay?" Glare. "You're really starting to scare me. Are you okay?" He waited for an answer, and he got it when I started to scream all of the profanities I knew at him. "_You stupid mother fu_…!"

I ranted on for about five minutes until I was out breath, red-faced and panting. Paul just stared at me, aghast.

I stood up, brushing the sand off of my wet legs, and limped off in one shoe towards the cliff. I didn't have a ride, so what would be the use of walking in the dark and getting lost?

"Cassie! Wait up!" I slid my flip-flop off and chucked it back at him. I walked off barefoot, but Paul wasn't daunted. He came behind me and whirled me around to face him. "Cassie, calm down and look up at me, please? I'm sorry, Cass. It was only for fun!"

"_Fun_? That was scary shit!" I shrilled at him. I was aware of the stares we were getting, but I didn't care enough to stop.

"I said I was sorry!" Paul said, tugging me towards him. "Please, forgive me? Please?" He pouted at me, tilting his head to the side so he'd look like a massive puppy. The glare withered from my face, and I blinked a couple of times. I was spellbound—as clichéd as it sounds. Sensing an easy victory, Paul leaned down and kissed me lightly. I mashed myself into him, moving my lips enthusiastically to his. Too soon, he pulled away and smirked down at me.

"Fine," I huffed. "But you're not out of the doghouse yet; you have to carry me up to the cliff."

"I wouldn't have it any other way."

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"Dude, you survived!" Jake laughed as we came to the top. "I thought you were dead, for sure, Paul."

"Yeah, we could hear her screaming from all the way up here!" Seth said, eyeing me reverently. Paul chuckled, leaning down to kiss my forehead.

"Looks like Cassie has a nice set of lungs on her," Quil said. "Just imagine what it'll be like when you two do it. I hope I'm not living anywhere near, then."

Paul put me down gently and advanced towards Quil. The guys left their girlfriends and stalked towards him menacingly. The smile fell from his face. He searched frantically for an opening, anyway to escape from the wrath of his friends, but there was none.

"Come on, guys!" he squeaked. "I was only joking with them!"

Jake shook his head, grinning. "I'm afraid, Quil, that now we're going to have to kill you."

Paul nodded his head. "I wouldn't object to that." There was a chorus of agreement as they closed in on poor Quil, and I could only watch with the girls as they grabbed him and swung him unceremoniously off the cliff.

His scream could be heard, and was only cut off by a huge splashing sound as he crashed into the water. I felt kind of bad, but I was mostly happy that he got what was coming to him.

"Now," Paul said. "Who wants to meet the idiot down by the shore?"

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"Quil, honey? You can come out, now. They're not going to hurt you." Claire assured outside of the van. A snort could be heard, but Quil cautiously poked his head out the door. "Are you sure about that, Claire-Bear? What will happen when they decide to finish the job and I'm not around to _support you_?"

"I'll finally be able to marry Leonardo DiCaprio without you interfering." Claire teased as Quil glowered. "I'm just joking, Quil. Now, please come out of the car so we can tell Emily and the rest of the gang 'goodbye' before we leave." Quil peeked around, looking at the guys and making sure that they didn't advance on him when he slid out.

"Fine. But any hint of deception, and you guys can expect major payback." He threatened. Seth rolled his eyes at Quil's dramatics.

"Whatever, dude."

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On the way home, I dozed off in Paul's arms, perfectly content. I was vaguely aware of the warmth I was surrounded in leaving. I moaned in protest, and it immediately returned. A smile lit on my face, and I buried myself in the warmth.

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**BIG CHAPTER, but I decided to end it there to ease your torture, reader. Nyeh. :P**

**So, a little drama, but it wasn't all IN YOUR FACE, and I ended that section with a little humor and werewolf lovin'. [The Best Damned Kind Of Lovin'. EVAH. 'Nuff said.]**

**Credit goes to Yodes; She [I think] inspired what happened to Quil--she practically suggested it! **

**Okay, this brings my attention somewhere else: I don't know y'alls genders. Boy? Girl? Tell me in your reviews, please! I'm so curious and I don't want to mess up and call one of you a girl when you're actually a dude! That would be major gender confusion for me. I'm pretty sure about **Gryffindor Gurl2 **being a girl. At least, I HOPE so. : )**

**So, give me some feedback, people! I've missed you all so much these past two days, so don't withhold your reviews to spite me for my suckishness. :I  
**


	15. Chapter Fifteen

**Author's Note**

**Woo yeah! Twelve freaking awesome reviews! I even got a lot of new readers who I HOPE TO HEAR FROM. **

**I was kind of shocked--in a good way--when I saw that two people actually put down a story about themselves. Both had me laughing, and thinking, 'What a coincidence.' [By the way, I'm flattered that you guys told me that stuff. I loved your reviews.] But, I'm not going to go into that because I have a few IMPORTANT ass things to write:**

**Okay, another thing that made me happen was how Yodes pointed out that action would be a good thing to put in the story. I agree whole-heartedly and that is coming up VERY VERY SOON. [Hint Hint Hint] I also liked how you guys asked about the legends and, "How is Cassie going to find out?" **

**All I've got to say is: It's not going to be a pleasant experience. No, Paul will not tell her. No one is, for a matter of fact. Now, you guys will have to ponder my vague hints while I go off and laugh evilly at my ingeniousness. **

**So, long story short: You guys make me feel like I'm on top of the world. You know what? You guys are the cheese to my crackers; the coo coo in my cocoa puffs and the whole she-bang. I love how you guys actually make me feel like this story is worth a damn and all, and I love you guys [Not in a lesbian kind of way...okay, maybe just a _little._]**

**So, without further adieu:**

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Twilight, but if I had my way I would own Paul on a leash and do very naughty things to him. But I do own Tommy, and that's enough for me for now. [Don't touch!]  
**

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**Spending the day with Mama Quil **

My eyes fluttered open, and I stretched. I wasn't as surprised as I should have been when I felt Paul beside me, still asleep. I snuggled back into him, reluctant to get up. Light filtered in through the drapes, and I had a feeling it was close to the afternoon.

I sighed contentedly, and I was just drifting off when the bedroom door slammed open. I jumped, and Paul rolled over on top of me, knocking all of the air from my lungs.

"Shit!"

Paul rolled off of me and fell to the floor with a loud thud. I lay on my back, a little dazed and sucking in big gusts of air to fill in my abused lungs. They expanded and my ribs crackled painfully. I sat up slightly and poked them, wincing slightly. Thankfully, nothing was broken.

There was a groan from below, and Paul heaved himself to look at me.

"Are you okay?" he asked, eyes roaming to take inventory of any injuries. I flushed, but nodded. Paul sighed in relief and reached forward to kiss me. When our lips were but centimeters apart, there was an annoying clearing of the throat, and Paul and I turned our heads in unison to glare at the figure.

My jaw dropped as I took in the sight before me: Quil was glowering at us beneath dark brows, a breakfast tray in his hands and was wearing perhaps the most ridiculous apron I had ever seen. It was pink and frilly, with the words 'Sexy Momma' stitched on the front. A squeak came out from my mouth, and I didn't know whether to laugh or scream in horror.

Very slowly, Quil placed the tray onto the floor and placed his hands on his hips, still scowling at us. "I cook and I clean for you, and this is what I walk in on? You two getting _fresh _with each other? I thought I taught you better, Cassidy Anne. Innocence is Divine!"

"Um," I coughed, trying to hide a giggle. "Don't you mean 'forgiveness is divine'?" Faster than I could blink, Quil snatched a dangerous looking spatula out from his apron pocket and waved it at me threateningly.

"Alright, smart aleck! I make you two breakfast, and this is how you _thank me_?! This will not be tolerated! Go to you're room, missy!"

"Quil? She _is_ kind of already in her room." Paul pointed out, and I momentarily feared for his life. I had never seen Quil this wacky before. The spatula turned to wave itself menacingly at Paul.

"And _you_," Quil snarled. "You better have your clothes on or I will castrate you with this spatula!" My eyes widened and I shrunk behind Paul. Paul, however, wasn't exactly scared for his life like I was.

"Don't worry, _mom_," he said sarcastically. "We weren't doing anything."

"That's Momma Quil in-law to you, buster!" Quil seethed, nostrils flaring. His hostile eyes turned back to me. "And as for you, little girl, I will be downstairs vacuuming the living room if you feel the need to apologize for your _unappreciative behavior_." He whirled around—his apron flaring out indignantly—and stormed out of the room with a huff.

It was silent for a moment before I couldn't help myself. "Oh my God," I giggled. "Is he always this _wacky_?"

"_I heard that_!" Quil shrilled from below.

I pursed my mouth into a thin line, trying to contain the giggles. Quil was acting like my mom when she was PMSing. Paul chuckled, but I could see him eyeing the food. I smacked his arm, and he quirked an eyebrow at me.

"What? He brought for us. Plus, he'd be such a shame to let those delicious looking pancakes go to waste…" I rolled my eyes as Paul eagerly got off the bed and all but attacked the tray. I smiled as he brought it over and how he seemed to ponder very seriously how to divide the food, and I felt that I was really starting to fall for him. Hard.

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"Quil?" I called hesitantly. I stood on the last step of the stairs, and Quil had his back turned to me, vacuuming. He stomped on the power button, cutting it off. Slowly, he turned to me and crossed his arms over his chest. I tried my best to smother the laughter that threatened to erupt as I took in the silly apron he still had tied around his waist.

"Yes, Cassidy?" Quil said pleasantly, but I could still see the hostility in his eyes. I cleared my throat, dispelling any laughs stuck there.

"I just wanted to say," I said slowly. "That I'm sorry for how I behaved this morning, and I really enjoyed the breakfast. But you didn't h—" Quil grabbed me tightly and lifted me into the air, twirling around the room with me.

"Ah, my darling!" he cooed. "You have finally learned your fault and apologized to your Mama Quil!" The room spun and blurred together, and I felt my breakfast coming back up.

"Quil!" I shrieked. Thankfully, he placed me down onto the floor on my unsteady legs. I could hear Paul coming out of my room, and he looked around as he came down the stairs.

"Where's Embry and Allison?" he asked Quil. Quil narrowed his eyes and tightened his lips, just like any protective parent, which scared me.

"They decided to go out and give you guys some alone time." Quil recrossed his arms against his vast chest. I looked at him confusedly. If they left to give us some alone time, then why was…

"Then why are you here, dipshit?" Paul asked. Quil growled, nostrils flaring resentfully.

"Because, _Paul Walker_," he sneered his name. "I was not going to leave you here alone with my baby girl to do Lord knows what with her. Why, I bet she probably feels like thanking me this very moment." Quil looked towards me, beaming brightly. I couldn't help but marvel at how different the two looked at the moment. Quil was smiling brightly, eyes alight and happy. But Paul looked just…pissed. The last thought made me smile, and I laughed at Quil.

"So, who's up for muffins?" Quil asked, a delighted smile adorning his face.

"Me!" I squealed, jumping up and down. Anything with sugar made my happy. Paul scowled at me, but I could see the playful glint in his eyes so I knew he wasn't really angry with me.

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As Quil was busying himself with making the batter and smacking Paul's hand with the spatula every time he came close to snagging a drop of batter, I snuck into my room and rang Seth.

"Seth," I hissed into the phone. "Have you _seen _Quil?" It was silent on the other end of the phone for a minute.

"Is he wearing an apron that has 'Bootylicious' on it?"

"No; it has 'Sexy Mama'."

"Even worse!" Seth exclaimed. "This is very serious, Cassie. You need to get out of there, _pronto_. I've only seen him like this once, and it was a few years ago, but it's still seared into my memory."

"When was last time?" I asked, checking behind me fearfully to make sure Quil wasn't eavesdropping on me.

"It was when Emily first got pregnant and he hung out with her. After a few months, he started to get all hormonal and would start to cook and bake all the time—not saying that was a bad thing, 'cause his cooking rocks—"

"When did he stop?!" I hissed, and there was a sad sounding sigh on Seth's side.

"Well, he had to stop after a month because Sam ordered him to stop, he got on everybody's nerves so much."

"Wait, so he stopped because _Sam said so_?" I asked, incredulous. I never took Sam for the controlling type.

"I-It wasn't just him," Seth stuttered. "Everyone e-else didn't like it when he acted like that, so technically it wasn't just because of Sam…"

"Okay, okay, I've got your point. So, how am I going to escape?"

"First tell me: has Quil started singing and dancing yet?" Seth asked critically. What an odd question to ask.

"No, he hasn't. Why?"

"Because, that's when he hits his total parental mode. He won't let you out of his _sight_ after that happens. So, be quick and climb out your window or something so you can hide out over at my house." I was about to thank him when I heard a familiar tune from below.

_Hi Barbie!_ _Hi Ken! You wanna go for a ride? Sure Ken! Jump in! I'm a Barbie girl…_

"Too late." Seth said, and he really sounded sorry for me. I did, too.

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"There you are, my darling!" Quil squealed, shaking his hips to the tune. Paul sat in the chair at the counter, looking positively disturbed as Quil started to dance and sing. I slid onto his lap and watched Quil. He could really move his hips, kind of like Shakira almost. _  
_Quil slid on some oven mittens, still singing and wiggling his large body, and opened the oven door to take out the muffin pan. "Blueberry!" he pronounced proudly, grinning. He whirled around to smile at me, but it immediately soured when he took in Paul's possessive arm around my waist. He narrowed his eyes, and I could almost see the daggers of hate he was glaring at Paul. But, like all moms do, he pasted on a fake sweet smile and set the pan onto the counter for me.

"Be careful, dear. They're very hot." Quil smiled largely at me, and I didn't miss how he excluded Paul from his statement. Paul rolled his eyes and reached for one. But Quil, as fast as greased lightning, seized his spatula and smacked Paul's hand away.

"_None for you_!" he all but shrieked, and I held back a laugh. Paul glared at him as I took a muffin from the pan, breaking off a piece and popping it into my mouth. Almost on contact, it melted and I shuddered in pleasure. Seth wasn't kidding when he said the man could bake.

I swallowed. "This is freaking awesome, Quil. How long have you known how to bake?" I asked, and Quil smiled proudly.

"A while." Quil turned around, chattering about making a cake or some brownies next, and I quickly broke the muffin in half and smoothly slipped it to Paul. He smiled at me gratefully and popped it into his mouth before Quil turned around again.

"So, Cassie," he chirped. "What do you want to do today?" I nearly choked on the muffin I had just placed into my mouth, and I swallowed it down harshly.

"Oh, Quil. You don't have to stay if you don't want to. I am just probably going to lay around all day and catch up on some sleep."

"Nonsense!" Quil cried. "We should do something besides just _laze _around! Oh, I know! How about we watch Oprah? I think they're holding a marathon of the show dedicated to her. Oh, gosh, she is _such a miracle worker_."

My eyes widened at the thought of spending a whole day with a pissed off Paul and a hormonal Quil watching freaking _Oprah Winfrey_. Not exactly an ideal way to spend the day.

"Oh, no, Quil! I don't think I could bare watching re-runs of Oprah; I've seen them far too many times," I lied casually. "How about we, um…how about…" I looked to Paul for assistance, pleading for some help.

"How about we watch some movies?" Paul suggested off-handedly, and I nearly collapsed in relief. You could never go wrong with just watching movies, not even with Quil. However, he still looked hesitant.

"I don't know…"

"Aw, come on, Quil. It'll be fun." I reassured him, and I could see him relenting just a little.

"Okay, as long as it isn't one of those _pornographic videos_." This time I did choke on the muffin, and Paul pounded on my back gently. I could hear him laughing behind me, but it wasn't funny. At all.

"I'll run to Blockbuster and bring back a couple of movies." Paul offered. I reluctantly slid off of his lap.

"I'll walk you to the door." I grumbled. Paul and I headed out of the kitchen and to the front door, and I stood on tiptoes to kiss him. An electric current shot through my spine as our lips melded together, and I sighed contentedly as I wrapped my arms around him.

"A-_hem_." Quil cleared his throat indignantly, tapping his foot on the floor. Paul grumbled something incoherent, and I watched as Quil's eyes tightened.

"I'll be back soon, Cass," Paul said, bending down to kiss me again, this time unashamedly deepening it in front of Quil.

Quil sounded like he was getting strangled until Paul pulled back, smirking at him. "Bye, Cassie."

After Paul left, Quil returned to normal, and smiled down at me. "Now, while we wait for _it_ to get back, lets watch some of that Oprah, eh?"

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Quil was dabbing at the corner of his eyes with a Kleenex tissue, sniffling pathetically as Oprah gave a poor family money for them to send their kids to school. "She is just so _giving_." Quil whimpered. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes at his dramatics, and just settled for nodding my head.

Five minutes later, I nearly screamed in relief when I heard the front door open and close. Paul walked into the living room, shaking raindrops from his shaggy hair. Quil's eyes narrowed considerably as he dropped his tissue.

"So, what did you bring?" he asked, almost condescendingly. Paul ignored his tone and held up the DVD case. Quil looked at the cover and squealed in delight.

"You got _Romeo and Juliet_?! As in, the one with Leonardo?! Oh, Cassie, isn't he just a _hunk_? Why, he would be a better boyfriend than," he paused, looking Paul up and down. "_That_." Paul growled, eyes glittering dangerously, but Quil ignored him.

"Just put it in and start the movie. I'll be back in a few minutes." Quil loped confidently past Paul, and I cupped my hands over my mouth to stifle my laughter. Paul just rolled his eyes at his friend and placed the disk into the player.

I patted the spot beside me on the couch, and Paul sat in it. Wasting no time, he crushed my mouth with his. It surprised me how well we fit together, even though he was so huge and I was small. My hands fisted in his hair as he hands wandered down to my hips and he caught my lower lip between his teeth playfully.

"Oh! It's on!" Quil squealed loudly from the entryway. He ran over to the couch, shoving Paul aside so he could sit between us. I heard Paul groan quietly, and I laughed.

"Shush shush!" Quil scolded. "Leo's coming up soon!"

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As the little television set disappeared from view and the credits rolled, Quil snored loudly. Carefully, I stood up from the couch and made my way to Paul's side. I sat on his lap and was enveloped by eager arms. Quil shifted by us, and leaned over onto Paul's shoulder. Paul made an annoyed sound in the back of his throat, and pushed Quil roughly to the other side of the couch. Quil's snores stuttered, but picked up again.

"Now, where were we before we were so rudely interrupted?" Paul teased, and I bit my lips.

"I think I can remember…" As I leaned into Paul, his phone in his pocket started to vibrate. Very agitatedly, Paul took it out and flipped it open. He skimmed it and cussed under his breath.

"I've got to meet Sam and the guys down at the shop." Paul growled, snapping it shut. I pouted petulantly. Why were we always being interrupted?

"Quil," Paul called. "Quil, get your lazy ass up." Quil grumbled something like "go away" and continued to snore. Paul threw his phone at his head, and I watched as it broke in half. After a minute, Quil popped his head up tiredly.

"Wha?"

"Sam needs for us to meet him at the shop."

Immediately, Quil seemed more alert. He bounced up from the couch, looking like an excited puppy. All he was missing was big floppy ears and a wagging tail.

"I'll see you later, Cass." Paul said, kissing me chastely on the lips. I nodded, too disappointed to say anything.

"Hands off my baby girl, pal." Quil snarled. Paul just rolled his eyes as Quil left, all but skipping merrily out of the house.

I stared down at the ground, biting my lip. Paul placed a warm hand under my chin and lifted it up so he could look me in the eyes.

"I'll be back," he said, kissing me again. Paul pulled back and wrapped his arms around my shoulders.

"Why do we always have to get interrupted?" I grumbled into his stomach, and I could hear him chuckle softly.

"That's exactly what I was thinking," he said. "But, I'll make it up to you. One of these days we'll have a day to ourselves with no interruptions from friends our psychotic gender-confused men."

I laughed, squeezing his waist. "That's sounds wonderful." I just hoped that he was right, and that we do get one of those days, otherwise I'll lose it.

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**END CHAPTER**

**Okay, some of you guys want me to keep Tommy in this story, and I'm afraid I have to because he is so vital right now and, for goodness sakes, he's Tommy! **

**He'll be in the next chapter, and that's where he needs to shine. It's why I made him in the first place, and now I'm feeling slightly guilty. BUT, I'll try to incorporate him in the rest of this story and let him have his happy ending like he deserves. **

**Now, while I was writing this chapter [in the beginning], I was going to make it all fluffy for Paul and Cassie only. But, I just thought of breakfast in bed and WAPOW! Quil popped into my mind wearing a frilly apron. My mind is so odd sometimes. But, Yodes inspired me [again] to have him singing and dancing to something. So, what's a better song that Barbie Girl by Aqua? None, I tell you. **

**Also, I know that usually guys wouldn't pick out romance movies, but Paul imprinted and he knows she hates horror movies. So, what's the opposite of horror? Romance! Oh yeah. Paul is so whipped.  
**

**Will Paul and Cassie get that date that they want so bad? Nope. Not for a while, people. Har. It's all going to be explained, so don't let your knickers get in a bundle. Hopefully Yodes won't attack me with her spoon o' death. D8  
**

**So, make me totally awesome and press that green/gray button below and teach it who's boss. [In other words, give me some feedback. I don't mean you should do anything kinky with it. Not unless you want to.]**


	16. Chapter Sixteen

**Author's Note**

**Wow. Dudes. **

**Seventeen reviews.**

**For one chapter.**

**Freaking Fantastic! I was blown away, and that's pretty hard to do. I'm so...proud of this story and that I have such awesome reviewers. Momma Quil loves you guys!**

**Okay, this chapter is the WHOLE reason why I made Tommy for [I feel so guilty now because I love Tommy], but I got the idea while I was half asleep. **

**Like I said before, I love how you guys ask questions; it tells me you guys actually pay attention to the story. I also like when you guys share your stories. **

**Invisible Truths - Hells yeah! You. Me. Vegas. TONIGHT. But, I have something to confess, and you're not going to like it....I'm not a fan of NCIS. -dun dun dun- Sorry, my love! I'm more of a CSI: Miami - CSI: NY - and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation kind of chick. And also Law and Order: Special Victims Unit. That show kicks ass. That Horatio from CSI: Miami though...mmm. Loves me some old men. Stabler and Grissom, too. Drool...  
**

**Yodes - Yep. Those two are going to meet and...well, you've got to read. But, I doubt your spoon will be put away for long. x.x  
**

**Okay, I can't do many shout outs because this hurts my damn fingers and you guys need to read on. One of these days 'm just going to devote a segment of this story to all of you. Maybe a special [funny] chapter...? **

**Okay, this chapter and the next are rather short, but the one after is going to be long because it has to. IT. JUST. HAS. TO.**

**  
Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Twilight in any way. Just this story...and your virginity. :o  
**

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**Misconception**

I was bored stiff, and it had been only two hours since Paul and Quil left. Al wouldn't be back for a while; I knew that was for certain. We hardly spent much time together since we both had our boyfriends, but it didn't mean that I didn't miss her.

My joints popped loudly as I stretched my legs on the couch. I tinkered with my cell phone, messing with the ring tone and such. I scrolled down the contact list, stopping when I saw Tommy's name. I clicked the call button and waited as the phone started to ring.

"Cassie," Tommy greeted jovially. "What's up, my sugarplum?"

"Nothing much, Tommy. I'm just sitting around…bored."

Tommy snorted loudly. "Well, where's your good for nothing boyfriend? Shouldn't he be there with you at your beck and call?"

"I wish," I grumbled, flipping over to lay on my stomach. "But he was called away to work on something with the guys." I heard Tommy chuckle, and I asked him what he was laughing about.

"Oh, nothing really. It's just that Paul left you alone to fend for yourself against creepers and such."

"Like you?" I retorted. There was another laugh.

"Exactly. So, how about you let this creeper over into your home to hang out and mooch food off of you?" Tommy teased, and I giggled.

"I don't know, Tommy. I am kind of low on stock since Paul eats so damn much." I said. The mere mention of Paul left a smile on my face, and I could hear Tommy gagging on the other end at my admiring tone.

"Ugh, save the bed talk for him. So, can I come over or not?"

"Psh. No ones stopping you. But, if you do come over, bring some food, would you? I'm kind of starving."

"Of course, milady. Now, just give me directions to your humble abode and I'll be over in ten."

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I opened the door for Tommy and let him in, and couldn't help but eye the food greedily. Tommy noticed my stares, and held the food away from me.

"You do know that it is against the rules to feed the animals, right?" he teased, and I swiped at him. "Just joshing with you, Cassie. Now, what sort of entertainment do you have to provide?" I took the bag from him as he went to survey the few DVDs that were kept in the house. He spotted the case for Romeo and Juliet, and flipped it over.

Tommy made a disgusted sound in the back of his throat, and I glared at him. "What's wrong with _Romeo and Juliet_?" I demanded, and Tommy just shook his head, chuckling to himself.

"Let me take a wild guess," he said, pretending to think. "Paul rented this for the two of you to watch?"

"Yeah. What's wrong with that?"

"Oh, nothing. It's just that _he is so freaking whipped_." Tommy bust out laughing, and I stared at him.

"So, if you were in a serious relationship and had to go out and rent a movie for your girlfriend, you wouldn't pick _Romeo and Juliet_?"

"Of course not," Tommy said, pretending to be offended. "Do you know what college sorority I'm in?" I shook my head, and Tommy grinned. "Cassie, my dear, I am in the sorority _Kappa Slappa Ho_ where our motto is: We won't hit a woman, but we will damn sure slap us a ho."

"Oh my God. What kind of shit coven are you in? What, do you guys have daily rituals, too?"

"Sure as hell do," Tommy said, lifting up his right hand. "We slap at least one ho a day; gotta keep the pimp hand strong, you know? I usually just slap one of the girls at the café, but they kind of actually like it, kinky bitches." I laughed, mussing Tommy's dark curls as he pouted.

"That's okay, Tommy. Whenever Al comes around, you can just slap her." I joked, and Tommy put a hand to his heart.

"Oo, ice queen!" he said, mischief sparkling in his blue-gray eyes. I rolled my eyes at him, unpacking the food from the bag. "Yeah, yeah. Just hurry up and put in a movie. I'm going to go take a shower, if you don't mind."

"Oh, I don't. But, could you please keep the door unlocked? I'd like to get in there easily instead of having to pick the damned lock for ten minutes and then miss out on all of the action."

I laughed. "Don't worry. I'll keep the door unlocked just for you, and I'll also save you a spot in there if you get lonely." As I walked up the stairs, I heard Tommy let out a wolf whistle in appreciation.

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"Hey, whatever happened to keeping me company?" I teased as I walked into the living room. Tommy was splayed out on the couch with a cookie in his mouth.

"What can I say? Hellboy is a hunka-hunk and he just _begged_ me to stay and keep him company. Did you know him and his girlfriend are going through a rough patch?"

I threw a pillow at Tommy's laughing face.

"Come sit with me, my love. Please, don't be shy," he crooned 'sexily', and I obliged. "So, how long is your boy toy going to be gone?"

I nudged him in the ribs. "He's not my boy toy, Tommy; he's my boyfriend." Tommy coughed 'sex slave' and laughed. "Yeah, yeah. Poke fun all you want, but don't come crying to me when Paul comes and kicks your ass."

"Oo, I'm _so_ scared. Do you think he could show me some stripping moves, though? I've got to keep the ladies entertained, you know?"

I gasped. "You're cheating on me?"

"Oh, honey. I wouldn't call it _that_." Tommy drawled, and I laughed.

"Oh, you dog, you."

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I groaned, stretching. My arm met resistance, and I saw Tommy asleep, his head lolling back on the couch. I nudged him lightly.

"Tommy," I mumbled sleepily. "Tommy, we fell asleep. Get up." He swatted my arm, rolling over to turn his back to me. I laughed quietly and shook him again.

"Don't make me get up," Tommy groaned, swatting at me again. "Go away, you pesky goblin, you. Don't make me get the Raid on your ass." I snorted a laugh.

"Tommy, it's eight o'clock. We've been asleep for four hours. Now, come on and get up."

Tommy turned to smile at me wickedly. "What, ready for round two, Cassie?" I opened my mouth for a witty retort when I heard Paul speak.

"Round two for what?" I froze and turned to see Paul's enraged figure at the entryway. His face was twisted into a menacing glare, and his whole body shook dangerously.

"Paul, this isn't what it looks li—"

"Save it, Cassie." Paul turned on heel and ran out the house. Tears pricked the backs of my eyes, and I scrambled off of the couch to go after him. I heard Tommy call after me, but the only thoughts in my mind were to find Paul and explain.

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**End**

**Okay, I have a feeling some people are going to be mad. Definitely pissed next chapter. But, I like rage from reviewers. It shows me that you guys feel strongly. **

**To tell you guys the truth, yesterday when I wrote this, I was looking for ways for this NOT to happen. But, it had to be done. Action needed to make it's debut, and not everything is all sun-shiny in love, babeh. **

**I'm going to warn you guys now: Next chapter has some strong ass language. So, this is just a warning. I'll try to remember to put another warning up, but until then, I'll be working on the story. [I'm actually ahead a couple of chapters. That's freaking awesome, right there.]**

**So, review, my pretties! That is...if you want to know what happens next.  
**


	17. Chapter Seventeen

**Author's Note**

**Alrighty then. I know by the end of the chapter I'm going to get stabbed by a spoon. Totally. But, all will be explained:**

**When I read my comments, I was surprised--in the goodish way--that people were kind of like, "Paul's being dumb," and, "He wasn't looking at the situation," and lastly, "Paul has a dirty mind." That one made me laugh. When I read these comments, I was kind of having a Chris Crocker moment. I was pretty much screaming, "LEAVE PAUL ALOOOOOONNEEE! -sob-" But, in a good way, you could say.  
**

**But, let me go ahead and explain his reaction: Paul comes from 'work' [we all really know he was patrolling.] and he can't wait to see Cassie. So, imagine his surprise [and anger] when he walks in on the devilishly sexy Tommy dirty talking his imprint. Oh, yeah. Clothes or no clothes, Paul has a temper, and he can't help but jump to conclusions.**

**So, this is a short chapter, but next chapter will have to be broken down into two chapters. Yeah, it's that long. **

**When I was writing this chapter, I was listening to [well, my whole playlist on projectplaylist, but these two songs were the ones that pretty much got my attention] Somewhere by Within Temptation and Falling Apart by Zebrahead [hence the name of the chapter]. They're really good songs, and perhaps you would like to listen to them? Do it. Do it, man! **

**Lastly, I got eleven excellent reviews and new readers. Hopefully they'll REVIEW and give me some feedback. ****REVIEW****REVIEW****REVIEW****REVIEW****REVIEW****REVIEW****REVIEW****REVIEW****REVIEW****REVIEW****REVIEW****REVIEW. ****REVIEW. Yeah, I'm talking to you.**

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Twilight, just the plot to this story and my OCs.  
**

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**Falling Apart**

I drove through La Push in the heavy rain. I wiped my tears from my eyes with my jacket sleeve and sniffled quietly. Guilt swept through me, even though I had nothing to be guilty for. But, the expression on Paul's face, underneath the anger, I could see that he was heartbroken, and I wanted nothing more than to explain to him.

I had a feeling that he would probably be at Emily's, seeing as how his truck wasn't in his driveway at his house. I just hoped he would let me explain and then this whole thing would blow over.

Ten minutes later, I pulled up at Emily's and was immediately disappointed that Paul's truck was nowhere to be seen. But, if anyone knew where Paul had gone, it would be Emily. I turned off the ignition and ran into Emily's house, not even bothering to knock. I ran to the kitchen where a startled Kim and Emily sat.

"Have you seen Paul?" I choked out, and the pregnant women immediately swarmed me. Emily petted my hair and asked me what was the matter, and I broke down. "P-Paul," I sobbed through tears. "H-He thinks I-I c-cheated on h-him!" Kim gasped, both hands flying to her mouth.

"Why does he think that, dear?" Emily asked, wrapping her arms around me in a motherly hug. I gulped loudly, trying my hardest to blink away the unremitting tears.

"I invited a friend over," I cried. "And we b-both fell a-asleep on the couch. When we both w-woke up, he was t-teasing me a-and Paul h-heard and took it the wrong w-way." The tears kept falling, and I was trying my best to stop, but I couldn't.

"Sheesh. What's up with the sob fest?" Jake teased, walking in with the guys behind him. Emily scowled at them, a nasty look in her eye.

"Paul thinks Cassie cheated on him," Kim verified, rubbing my back soothingly.

"I think you should let him cool down before you tell him your side of the story, dear," Emily advised. "Paul has a terrible temper, and sometimes it's hard for him to control it." I shook my head, pulling away from her.

"No, no," I said. "He's got to know now." I wiped at my eyes again. Seth made a sound in the back of his throat, and I stared at the strange look on his face.

"I don't think that's a good idea, Cass," he warned. "We just saw Paul out in the back, and he doesn't look very stable right now." So Paul was here? He's in the back?

Jake caught the hopeful glint in my eye, and shook his head. "Cass, personally I think that this is a terrible idea, but we're going to give you five minutes with Paul, then you have to come straight back inside, whether he believes you or not. But, Cassie, we'll be watching, okay?" I nodded my head, already out the back door.

The rain fell in buckets, and it was hard to make out my surroundings. At first I couldn't see anything, but when my eyes adjusted I saw him.

Paul was pacing at the edge of the woods, shoving his hand through his hair angrily. He walked back and forth, turning sharply at each end point. I called out to him, and I watched in dread as he came to an abrupt halt and turned slowly to glare at me. I walked towards him, and I didn't miss how his muscles tensed—not like he did when he was nervous; this was when he was pissed.

"Paul? We need to talk," I said as I came to a stop a few feet away from him. Paul chuckled mirthlessly, and his glare intensified.

"Oh?" he asked wryly. "We need to talk? Gee, how _could you tell_?" I flinched at his tone, but struggled to keep my face smooth.

"Paul, it isn't what you think—"

"How many times have I heard that one before," Paul scoffed. "Look, what do you want? Haven't you screwed up my life enough, already?" Tears prickled the backs of my eyes, but I refused to leave without him knowing.

"Paul, what you walked in on—"

"I don't want to know the details, Cassidy. So, why don't you just—"

"Will you stop fucking cutting me off?!" I screamed at Paul's shocked face. "Can you be anymore idiotic! God! I came here to tell you what _really happened_—"

"And what happened, Cassie? Are you going to tell me now that you two are _just friends_?" Paul growled.

"Yes!"

"That is shit!" Paul roared, shaking violently. "I know you are sleeping with him! It's so freaking damn obvious!"

"So what if I was?" I challenged. "You slept with half of the damn women in La fucking Push!"

"So you _are_ sleeping with him!" Paul roared, taking a step forward to me. I took one, too.

"Dammit, Paul! I am not sleeping with him! How can I have sex with a guy and still be a _freaking virgin_?!" I yelled, fisting my hands into tight balls. Paul narrowed his eyes into slits, and leered down at me. "So you say." That was all he had to say, and I saw red.

"_Fuck you_!" I screeched.

"I would, but it looks like someone already beat me to it!" Paul yelled back. We were less than inches apart, and things were getting out of hand.

"You know what? It's over, Paul," I said, turning my back to him. "I'm going home."

"Don't you turn away from me!" Paul shouted, but I ignored him. I kept walking, and nearly made it to the house when he jerked me back. I let out a shocked yelp as he pinned my back to a tree. His hands squeezed my forearms, and I cried out in pain.

"Paul, you're hurting me!" I screamed. Paul glowered down at me, tightening his grip to a painful degree. He was shaking badly, and it looked as if he was blurring at the edges.

I could hear the guys yelling at Paul to stop, and I saw hands grab him and trying to pull him back. Paul wouldn't let go, and his shaking intensified.

"Screw you," I snarled, kicking him in the crotch. He yelped, loosening his grip, and I wrenched myself free and ran. I could hear the guys yell again in warning, and I turned not to see Paul, but a huge silver wolf.

Jake was trying to hold it back by pushing at its chest, and Seth was wrestling with a large leg. The wolf was stalking towards me, and I froze in my tracks. _That's Paul_, I heard the voice in the back of my head say. But there was another voice, much louder, screaming at me to run.

My legs moved, and I started to run to the comforts of Emily's house, where you didn't get in fights with your boyfriend or where men turn into wolves. But then I heard a thunderous roar behind me, and yelling. There was a sharp, slashing pain in my back, and a scream. My scream.

I staggered forward, my vision blurring. I tried to breathe, but air only came in quick, short pants, but even then they hardly filled my needy lungs. I stumbled, losing my footing and fell to the ground below. The voices started to fade, and so did my vision. The last thing I heard was the agonized howl from the giant wolf, and then everything went black.

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**Gasp!**

**Forgive me! **

**But, it needed to be done. Or, so that's what I keep telling myself...**

**I did this because you never read imprint stories where the wolves hurt their imprints [Well, I haven't read one yet.] and I'm shooting for originality.**

**So, please forgive Paul. Cassie went out to explain to Paul, but she let her temper get in her way and cloud her judgment. But, they WILL get back together [definitely] by the end of the story. And, lets just say I have MAJOR surprises coming up in this story, and I'm just dying to write them. The most Majorly major one lets me write a sequel. But, I'm not going to go into that. :P**

**Oh, and if anyone's confused where Cassie said 'Fuck you' and Paul was like, 'I would but it looks like someone already beat me to it!', this shall help:**

_"__Fuck you!" I screeched._

_"I would _**[insert 'fuck you']**_, but it looks like someone already beat me to it!" Paul yelled back. _

**Does that help? Okay-dokey then. But if you weren't confused with that...I'm sorry to say I wasted five seconds of your life. **

**So, please review if you want to know what happens next! [I've got to quit with the cliffhangers...]  
**


	18. Chapter Eighteen

**Author's Note**

**I absolutely LOVED the reviews from the last chapter. The varying reactions just had me laughing. Everyone was [let me use my favorite word] dubious when they read it. Well, all except for ThexWorld'sxAxBrokenxBone 'cause she's a PSYCHIC. Either that or a mermaid. I'm betting a mermaid. **

**Oh, by the way, we beat a record! Last chapter accumulated TWENTY-THREE reviews! Hells yeah!  
**

**So, here's another chapter and I hope you all enjoy!**

**For the record, Cassie is going to show a whole lot more anger later on, but right now she's just shocked. Very much so. **

**Disclaimer: Zilch + Zero + Nada + Shit = Not owning Twilight.**

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**Hospital Part One**

_Beep_._ Beep_._ Beep_.

I cracked open an eye, wincing as a bright light filled my vision.

_Beep_._ Beep_._ Beep_.

Was I in Heaven?

_Beep_._ Beep_._ Beep_.

If I was in heaven, then why is it so goddamned annoying?

_Beep_._ Beep_._ Beep_.

I opened both eyes, and turned toward the direction the maddening noise was coming from. A heart monitor was posted right beside my bed, sounds emitting from it as the green line spiked up and down. I tried to move to unplug the damned thing, but pain shot through my back, and I flopped back down on my stomach.

"Miss? Miss Barker?" An unfamiliar voice asked. "Are you awake?" I resisted giving the person a sarcastic remark.

"Yeah, sure." I gasped, breathing slowly as the pain dissipated.

"Oh, good," the woman said, and I could hear paper rustling. "I'll go fetch the doctor." The doctor? What did I need a doctor for? But the mystery woman was already gone, leaving me alone in a quiet room.

I racked my memory, trying to figure out how I wound up in the hospital. I remember Paul, and Quil going all hormonal… Images flashed through my mind, and the monitor picked up my spiking heart rate. The wolf…Paul…

_No_! My mind screamed, and I mentally shook my head. Paul wasn't a wolf; there was no way he _could be_. No, not my Paul. Except, he wasn't my Paul anymore. I had made that clear to him, right before he…

The door opened, and I jumped, making pain shoot down my spine again.

"Be careful, there," came a velvety voice. "You wouldn't want to pull out your stitches again, would you?" I turned my head as much as I could to see an attractive blond doctor staring down at me studiously.

"Again?" I croaked, and he smiled down at me.

"You were having nightmares a few nights ago," he said simply.

"How long have I been here?" I asked quietly, and the doctor pulled out a clipboard from inside his white jacket, flipping papers before he found what he needed.

"You were admitted to the hospital three weeks and five days ago, and have been in a coma since then."

"Coma?!" I shrieked. The doctor grimaced lightly, but nodded his head.

"Yes, _coma_. Now, Cassidy, can you remember what caused your wounds?" he asked, and I hesitated. There was no way I could tell him without exposing Paul, and even if I did, I'd probably get sent to the nearest mental institution.

"Um, no?" I squeaked, and I mentally smacked myself. _Idiot_! Surprisingly, the doctor only chuckled at my terrible lie and wrote something down on the clipboard.

"You have quite a few visitors," he said. "Do you feel up to seeing them?"

"Define _visitors_," I said wryly, settling my cramped neck on the pillow.

"Well, first off, your parents are here—"

"My parents?!" I screamed, incredulous. They would've had to drive for _hours_ just to get to La Push, and it made me teary-eyed that they cared enough to come.

"Yes, would you like to see them?" he asked. I nodded my head enthusiastically, and I heard him chuckle as he left the room to go fetch my parents. There was talking outside the room, too low that I couldn't make it out.

The door opened, and my mom poked her head in cautiously. I craned my neck as far as I could and smiled weakly at her. She rushed to my bedside—avoiding wires and tubes—and pet my head motherly like.

"Hey there, mom." I said, and she sighed.

"You nearly gave us a heart attack, Cassie dear," Mom scolded lightly. "Honey, what were you _thinking_? Walking alone in the bear-infested woods!" My eyebrows scrunched together confusedly. It must be a cover-up.

"Oh, is that what happened?" I asked smoothly. "I'm afraid I don't remember much. So, what was I doing in the woods, again?"

Mom looked at me strangely. "That woman, Emily, told me that you and your boyfriend, Paul—why didn't you tell me you had a boyfriend?—had some sort of misunderstanding and you went to look for him."

I picked at the threads of the thin hospital pillowcase. "Oh. Is…Paul around?" I risked a look at my mom's face, and then turned back, acting interested in the pillow. I listened to her attentively as she spoke.

"He's been here with you the whole time you came to the hospital, actually. All the time you were unconscious, Paul would sit by your bedside and just hold your hand, talking to you," Mom said softly, reaching over to brush my hair out of my face. "When your father first walked in here and saw the way he touched you, he almost blew a gasket." I smiled at the thought; dad was always overprotective of me.

"Why isn't he here now?" I asked, and Mom sighed.

"Visiting hours end at eight o'clock, dear, and start at, well, just five minutes ago, actually. But, you should have seen him: it literally took all of those large men to convince him to leave your side at the end of each day."

"Where's dad?" I asked, changing the subject from Paul. To my surprise, mom laughed loudly.

"I suppose I outran him, huh?" she said, and I looked at her questioningly. "When Doctor Cullen came down to the waiting room and told us that you were awake and we could finally see you, I literally ran down the hall and towards the nearest elevator. Sadly, that meant leaving your father to catch an elevator by himself."

On cue, the door opened to reveal a red-faced and winded dad. I smiled at him, and he smiled back, between pants. My mom giggled girlishly, motioning him over to my bedside. Dad stumbled to the chair beside my bed and fell into it. He slumped and clumsily grabbed one of my hands.

"Just," he breathed. "Just give me a minute." Mom rolled her eyes at him, then winked at me. Even after all these years, they still acted like high school lovers.

"Your father," she said simply, as if that explained everything. Dad stuck his tongue out at her childishly, and she giggled.

"Cassidy," Dad said, once he caught his breath. "When exactly did you get a boyfriend?" I turned my head so I could look at his face as he struggled to look stern.

"Maybe a month or two ago." I grumbled reluctantly. Dad's eyes narrowed, and I could hear mom squeal happily beside me.

"Oh! Our baby's grown up! So, when are you two getting married? September? October?" Mom asked, and I turned to smile ruefully at her.

"We aren't getting married, Mom," I said. "You can't marry someone if you two are broken up and over with."

Mom gasped. "What? But, dear! The way he looked at you…and Emily has told me so many things about the two of you—"

"Tara, honey, if she doesn't want to get back together with him, that's completely fine," he said, and I could tell that he was proud of me. "Isn't that right, Cassie hon?" I mumbled nonsensically into my pillow, and even though he had no clue what I had just said, he saw it as an agreement.

"Maxwell, don't encourage her," Mom scolded. "You know how much I look forward to having grandchildren!" Dad snorted a laugh, and I giggled. Mom has been on my case about grandchildren ever since I first started my period.

"There's no rush, Tara. Cassie has all the time in the world."

"Well, I don't, and I would prefer to actually hold my grandchild before I _die_, thank you very much." Mom said dramatically, playing with a strand of my hair. Dad let out a huff and leaned back in his chair.

"How many visitors are there for me?" I asked, and Mom seemed to perk up a bit.

"Oh, honey. I never knew you were so _popular _on the reservation. There was Allison and that Embry boy—is it me or is everyone getting boyfriends?—and that boy named…what was his name? Timmy? Tyler…?"

"Tommy, Mom."

"Ah, yes, Tommy. Such a charmer, I tell you. Then there was Emily and her husband, and that Kim girl and her husband, and a few others whose names I can't quite recall."

"Why doesn't that surprise me?" Dad said playfully and Mom rolled her eyes. I yawned as my eyelids drooped sleepily.

Mom kissed my forehead and Dad patted my head. "We'll see you when you wake up, kiddo."

"Would you like for us to send Paul in?" Mom asked. My eyes shot open and I all but screamed my protest. Mom pouted at me and Dad chuckled elatedly.

I listened to converse quietly as they left, the door shutting with a soft click behind them.

The room was quiet except for the beeping and ticking of a clock. I immediately wished that they hadn't left me alone, because it gave me time to mull over what had happened.

Paul could turn into a wolf, and everyone was in on it besides me. What didn't make since was why they would cover it up and protect him. Was it their loyalty to friendship? Or was there something else?

My head throbbed as I thought over the possibilities for their strange behavior. It was painfully clear that they knew; how they warned me of Paul's temper told me that much. But, when Paul _changed_, how were they able to keep him back for that long? No ordinary men could do that. Paul was bigger than a horse when he changed, and had to be strong.

Which brought me to the night of the bonfire: Paul fought Quil, and I highly doubt he did it in human form. So, did that mean Quil could change, too?

Al had mentioned some odd things after she broke up with Embry, but I couldn't remember what she had said. But I do remember that I felt something was up, and I was missing out on something. What did she say?

And then there was Sam. He always ordered the guys around, not in a pushy sort of way, but just like…a _leader_. When I was on the phone with Seth, he mentioned that Quil stopped acting hormonal because Sam ordered him. So, what did this mean?

I wracked my pulsating brain, fighting off the sleep that threatened to consume me. What did this mean?

_It's because this is something I've never come across, and isn't something you can examine under a microscope and just learn about it. _Al's voice was strong and clear in my mind, and bits and pieces of our conversation were starting to emerge.

_It's something incomprehensible, never even heard of before except for the distorted stories people tell to scare little children. _

'Distorted stories people tell to scare little children'? No, she couldn't mean…

_This is something bigger, and far, far worse than bedtime stories._

All of them were werewolves.

Spots clouded my vision, and everything turned black.

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"Cassie dear!" I heard a cheerful voice call. "Cassie! Lunch _a-la Quil_ is served!" I groaned as my head throbbed painfully, and I opened my eyes. Quil was standing in front of me, grinning like the Cheshire Cat. In his hands was a foam container where a heavenly smell wafted out.

"Why are you wearing a nurses uniform?" I asked, looking Quil up and down. He had a white shirt on and the clichéd nurse hat with the red cross on the front. But, thankfully, I was spared from seeing him in a short skirt.

Quil pouted. "Sam ordered me not to be motherly anymore, and Doctor C said I could be your nurse today since your old one had to go somewhere. How unprofessional. Just because she had a 'family emergency' and her father was 'fatally ill' doesn't mean she can just up and _leave_! Why, I tell you Cass, I was sorely tempted to—"

"What? Go werewolf on her ass?" I asked, scowling. Quil stared down at me for a moment, quirking an eyebrow.

"_Noooo_," he said. "I was going to say 'smack her silly', but that sounds like a good idea, too. Should I have done that instead?"

"So," I grumbled. "I was right."

"About me being a devilishly sexy wolf? Yep, you got that one right." Quil said, sitting down in the chair and held the container out to me. I ignored it, curious.

"So, that's it? No denial or anything?" I asked, incredulous. Quil pursed his lips at me, leaning back in the chair.

"You deserve to know what's going on, Cassie. You were bound to find out sooner or later, just…not the way you did."

"But I did," I mumbled. Quil nodded his head, sighing.

"You should really forgive Paul, Cassie," he said, and I snorted in disdain. "He didn't meant to hurt you,"

"Yes, I could tell that by his _remarkable_ restraint," I said sarcastically, and Quil got this sad look on his face.

"There's more to the story, Cass," Quil said.

"Oh, please, _do tell_." Quil ignored my scornful tone and continued.

"I'm just going to give you the story in a nut shell: We, being descended from Quileute, have inherited some…sort of gene that enables us to shape-shift into wolves. All of us—Jared, Embry, Paul, Jake, Sam, and I—have inherited the gene, and so have a few others. Together, we form a pack that protects La Push from the danger," Quil said, and I listened attentively. "This danger comes from the cold ones—vampires,"

"Vampires?" I asked, and Quil nodded his head.

"Yeah. Believe it or not, you've already met two," he chuckled, and I stared at him, astonished. I asked him who, and he grinned.

"Doctor Cullen, for one. And, well, technically Nessie's half-human and half-vampire, but she still counts."

"What?!" I shrieked, and Quil rubbed his ear.

"Wow, Cass. Congratulations. I think you just bust my ear drum," Quil said, wincing. I was about to persist with my rant, but Quil held up one finger. "Let me continue the story, then you can ask questions. Understood? Great. Okay, now where was I…?

"Oh, yes. Now, with the gene, there comes a… weird phenomena called 'imprinting'. Imprinting is when you see your soul mate, and they become your whole world; the only thing that keeps you here."

"Have you imprinted?" I asked softly, and Quil smiled warmly.

"My Claire-Bear. I imprinted on her when she was only three years old, nearly fourteen years ago, and Emily kicked me in the crotch for it. Boy, that was a fun day," Quil said, and I giggled.

"What's it like to…imprint?"

"Well, with me, it's like you were walking along with your own life, doing your own business, and then you see _her_. And then, it's like you're a blind man seeing the sun for the first time, and all that matters is _her_. You become her protector, friend, lover; anything to keep her happy. For Claire, when she was young, I was her brother; when she was in her early teens, I was her best friend and companion, and now we're an item."

"And, let me guess: Embry imprinted on Al, right?"

"Exacto mundo, babe. Oh, and this you're going to get a huge crack out of: Tommy was imprinted on!" he chortled, and I gaped at him.

"One of the guys imprinted on him?!"

"No!" Quil cried, smacking his forehead with his palm. "Leah imprinted on him!" It took me a minute to remember who Leah was. I vaguely remember seeing her at the supermarket once, and lets just say she wasn't so nice.

"Leah's a werewolf?" I asked, dubious. "And she imprinted on Tommy?"

"Yep," Quil said, popping the 'p'. "And they're already crazy for each other. Ugh, you should've seen them! One minute I'm eating some chicken, and then I look up and, BAM!, they're giving each other the ogling each other. Man, I'll never look at chicken the same way again."

"Whoa," I breathed. "I've missed a lot."

"You're damn skippy you did. But, you're missing the _most important imprint_. Can you guess who?"

"Sam and Emily?"

"N—well, he did imprint on her, but their not the ones I'm talking about."

"Kim and Jared?"

"No."

"Jake and Nessie?" I asked, and Quil glared at me, shaking his head. "I can't think of anymore, Quil."

"Paul, dammit! Guess who he imprinted on?"

"He imprinted on someone else?!" I cried, tears coming to my eyes.

"No! He imprinted on_ you_! Damn, Carlisle must have you doped up on some good stuff for you to be _this_ clueless," Quil said, laughing. "H—Cassie? Cass? Yoo-hoo? Earth to munchkin! _Are you alive_?" He waved a hand in front of my shocked face. _He imprinted on me…he imprinted on me…_

"Yo, Doctor Cullen!" Quil hollered. "Something's wrong with Cassie!" There was a rustling and the door opened.

"What happened?" Doctor Cullen asked urgently. _He imprinted on me…_

"I just told her that Paul imprinted on her, and she just spaced out! Save her, man! I don't want Paul to kick my ass!"

"Cassidy? Can you hear me?" Doctor Cullen asked, shaking my shoulder slightly. "Cassie, if you can hear and understand me, blink twice."

"He imprinted on me," I said dumbly. Doctor Cullen chuckled quietly, and Quil looked at him confusedly.

"Don't worry, Quil," Doctor Cullen assured. "She's just in shock."

"So, she'll snap out of it, right?"

"Eventually, yes."

"And Paul won't kick my ass?"

"…I can't guarantee you that." Quil groaned loudly, and the doctor laughed again. They talked for a while, and I dozed off.

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**OK**

**AND ANOTHER THING: Is everyone a freaking psychic?! I didn't tell you guys [it was _supposed_ to be a surprise], but the other reason I made Tommy was for Leah to imprint on him so she could have her happily ever after. I remember the first time someone mentioned that [I forgot who, but I'll look at the reviews later, you naughty noodles.], but when I saw it I almost had a heart attack. Have I become predictable? Nah, I don't think so. Unless...you guys can guess my huge surprise?**

**So she knows now. And she's gonna be pissed. Even more so. I haven't decided how she's going to get payback, or if it's even going to be funny. Most likely not. But, Paul will be sorry. Hell, he already is. Yup. **

**I'm going to drag this story out some [a lot] so I can get the big surprise in and everything. Why do I keep mentioning this 'surprise'? 'Cause it's freakin' important and will lead to the [possible] sequel. Maybe I'll even make it a trilogy...**

**But I'm getting ahead of myself there. I'll have to figure out some damned plots and all, but until then, this story will have my full attention.**

**teamjacob11: I'm not sure what the sequel's going to be called; I'm just going to wing it. But, when I do post it up and all, I'll post it an alert chapter on this story.**

**Yodes: I don't think she's well enough to be swinging a shovel around [yet], but I'm going to try and make it hard for Paul to win back Cassie's trust.**

**Invisible Truths: xD Well, I hope you had plenty of fun, and I'm glad you liked both chapters. So, my Lesbanana lovah, I am sorry to say it isn't in Paul's point of view [you know that now]. I thought about it, but we needed to know how Cassie was doing. Next chapter you will get a slightly more detailed diagnosis. xoxoxo Hunny buns [I'm really liking the nickname...kinky]  
**

**So, review my lovelies, and make me SUPAH happy. [By the way, Tommy will be in the next chapter.]  
**

**Did I mention the I'm aiming for +10 reviews for each chapter? 'Cause I am. And if I get more than that, I'll be freaking happy. **

**But, if not...I'll just crawl into a hole somewhere. Sigh...  
**


	19. Chapter Nineteen

**Author's Note**

**Wow.**

**Everybody's a psychic...or I'm just really obvious. xD**

**Okay, so Leah and Tommy are together. Now, what about Cassie and Paul? Who knows? They're definitely not together in this chapter, for sure.**

**Gryffindor Gurl2: I suppose I forgot to mention this last chapter, but Paul is banned from visiting because Cassie is so pissed. Oops!**

**Iced Coffee: Cassie is short--perhaps around five foot two or three--with shoulder length black hair and big gray eyes. Hrm, what else? She usually wears darker colored clothes [not like 'emo' or anything like that] and usually has her hair down. Is there anything else you would like to know?**

**So, Cassie gets to go home in this chapter, but Quil isn't going to make it easy on her with the whole Paul deal. [Werewolves/Shape-shifters with imprints have to stick together!] We also get a little Tommy action. Not as much as I had wanted, but there is always future chapters. So, as always:**

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Twilight.  
**

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**Hospital Part Two and Going Home**

"Quil, quit eating my food."

"But you're not eating any of it."

"I was going to."

"LI-AH!" Quil accused, pointing a finger at me. I swatted at him gently, not wanting to pull at my stitches.

"Quil, you shouldn't harass the patient," Carlisle said. "Especially when their boyfriend is a volatile werewolf."

"Ex-boyfriend," I corrected snippily. Quil rolled his eyes at me, and Carlisle smiled gently.

"Carlisle, I swear," Quil said. "Have you never seen a more naïve child?"

"I'm not a child!" I protested. "And give me back my food!"

"No," Quil said childishly, holding the hospital tray out from my reach. I glared at him, and he crossed his eyes at me.

"Doctor Cullen," I whined. "Do I _have_ to have a nurse? It's not like Quil does anything."

"I resent that," Quil grumbled, taking a big bite out of mashed potatoes. Carlisle smiled, writing down something on the clipboard. Again.

"What do you write in there?" I asked.

"Updates on your injuries and how well you're progressing for your parents to know," Carlisle said, and Quil snorted.

"Don't forget about Paul," Quil grumbled. I glanced sharply at the sheepish doctor.

"You tell him how I'm _doing_?" I hissed, and Carlisle rubbed his neck nervously.

"He wants to know how you progress," he said quietly. I glared at him, and Quil patted my head.

"Paul didn't mean to, Cassie," he said quietly. "This was the last thing he wanted to do to you, and you know it."

"Not only does he incapacitate me, but he sends you in to guilt me?" I hissed, and Quil flinched. There was an awkward silence until Doctor Cullen cleared his throat.

"Quil, could you run these to Mr. Barker and his wife?" he asked, handing the clipboard and papers over to Quil. He nodded his head and walked out of the room.

Doctor Cullen moved around the room, almost in an anxious manner.

"How bad am I, Doc?" I asked. Carlisle looked at me for a moment, but then took a seat in the chair Quil had just vacated.

"Cassie, when you first came in, we didn't think you were going to make it," Carlisle informed me quietly. "You weren't breathing, and you didn't have a pulse. It was difficult, to say the least, to resuscitate you when there wasn't an inch of you not covered in blood. You lost a lot of it, and you kept bleeding. It didn't help that you had been caught in the rain when this whole mess occurred.

"When you were finally revived, the nurses and I had to work quickly to stitch up your wounds to stop the rapid blood flow. Luckily, the scratches weren't too deep and didn't nick anything vital."

"How about scars? How bad will they be?"

"They'll extend from your left shoulder down to the back of your right thigh. All in all, you will be perfectly fine except for a few rare days when your leg will act up and you'll have a slight limp." I pondered this information for a minute, and Carlisle spoke again. "You should really forgive him, Cassie."

"Oh, and why is that?" I challenged.

"Because he loves you," he said, and I snorted. "Cassie, I'm not one to pry in one's life, but Paul really does care about you. The whole time you were here, even when we were busying ourselves with reviving you, he stood by you with the saddest expression. And when you were in a coma—when we thought you wouldn't come out of it, that it was permanent—he still stayed beside you, ever hopeful and persistent that you would awaken. Now, if that isn't love, I don't know what is."

"Wow. I never took you for the romantic type, Carlisle," I said. He chuckled, picking himself out of the chair.

"Quil will be here shortly with visitors." I looked at him strangely, but then the door opened, revealing Quil, Tommy, and Al.

"Visitors for a Miss Munchkin!" Quil announced, waving his hands about grandly. Al ran over to me, and hugged me. I let out a gasp of pain as she grazed the stitches, and she squeaked.

"Sorry! Sorry! Oh, Cass!"

"Wow, less than a minute in and you're already causing her bodily harm, Al," Tommy teased, and winked at me. I glared at him.

"You and Leah, huh?" I accused, watching as color rose to his cheeks. Tommy cleared his throat uneasily, and Quil clapped him on his back.

"Good luck taming the shrew, man. I hope you've had all of your shots," he teased, and I giggled into my pillow.

"Yeah, ha ha. Very funny, guys," Tommy said sarcastically, flushing a bright red.

"Whatever happened to being a member of Kappa Slappa Ho?" I questioned curiously. Quil gasped.

"You too, man? Oh my God! I've found my long lost brother!" he cried, hugging Tommy and 'sobbed' into his shoulder. Tommy patted his back, making soothing noises.

"Have you been abusing your nursing powers and stealing prescription drugs, Quil?" I asked suspiciously. Quil turned to look at me calculatingly.

"You do realize, of course, that now I'm going to have to kill you."

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"Is it okay if I have some alone time with Cassie, guys?" Al asked. Doctor Cullen and the guys nodded their heads, making their way towards the door. After the door clicked shut, Al grabbed my hand.

"How are you holding up?" she asked softly, and I smiled wryly.

"I've lost a ton of blood, I have about a million uncomfortable stitches in my back, I'm in pain, strangers get all touchy-feely when they bathe me, and I have my ex-boyfriend hanging around who very nearly phased in the hospital when he was told he was banned from seeing me. So, overall, I'm excellent." Al sighed quietly, and I groaned. "You're not going to try and convince me that I should get back together with Paul, are you?"

"No, of course not. I'm happy that you are sticking up to him," Al said, eyes sparkling dangerously. "I'm glad that Jake kicked his ass."

"Wait, what?"

"Yeah. After you were admitted into the hospital and we saw that you would be okay—well, as okay as you were going to get—Jake took Paul out into the woods and let him have it. But, it wasn't much of a fight since Paul didn't fight back; I was kind of disappointed when I heard that," Al grumbled. I blinked at her once, then twice.

"Is Paul okay?" I asked grudgingly. Al rolled her eyes, looking just a little annoyed.

"Apparently werewolves heal fast, so he only has a few scars."

"Oh," was all I said. It was silent, and when I looked up at Al, she had tears in her eyes. "Al? What's wrong?"

She sniffled delicately, wiping her eyes on the heel of her palm. "I just can't help but think that if I had stayed—"

"Shut the hell up, Allison," I growled. "Don't go blaming yourself for what happened. We all know that it's Paul who did this to me, not you." Al chuckled quietly, wiping her eyes again.

"Yeah, I kind of guess it is his fault," she said. "But when I see you just _lying_ there, knowing what's under that thin hospital gown, I can't help just think…" Al trailed off, sniffling quietly. I reached up and mussed her neat hair, and she sighed.

"Don't worry, Al. I'm going to be just fine. Just you wait; I'll be up and around in no time, stealing your cheerleading uniform and destroying your closet," I teased, patting her head. Al didn't say anything. She just grabbed my hand tightly and sat with me for the rest of the day.

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"Cassidy."

"Quil," I mocked.

"Quit being a baby and get in the damned wheelchair."

"No. Wheelchairs are for paraplegics and old people, which I am neither. So, how about you go and give that to someone who really needs it and let me walk out of the damn hospital with some dignity?" I asked, crossing my arms and scowling. Quil was in his nurse uniform again, regarding me with a blazing expression.

"Cassie, you know you can't walk without risking opening up your cuts. Come on. You know it's going to be a pain to walk, so why don't you just get in the wheelchair? It's _comfy_…"

"No."

"Cassidy Anne Barker. Get in the damned wheelchair."

"Make me."

"Don't make me yank you from that bed and strap you down into the chair, 'cause I'll do it," Quil threatened. I snorted, rolling my eyes.

"You know you won't do it, and we both know that I'm not getting in the wheelchair willingly. So, how about you save our time and put away the silly wheelchair?"

"I am so close to strangling you with this stethoscope it's not even funny," Quil growled, looking wistfully at the would-be weapon around his neck.

"I don't even know why Carlisle let you have that silly thing. What are you even going to do with it?" I asked, rolling my eyes.

"Strangle you."

"Quil, please let me walk. Please?" I asked, giving him my best puppy dog pout. Quil groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"I can't."

"And why not?" I growled.

"Paul will kill me, quite literally, if I let you walk out of the hospital in your condition," Quil said.

"Oh, not _him_ again! Quil, I told you before, Paul needs to _stay out of my life_. He's a psychopath, and I don't want him!"

"He's your _soul mate_, Cassidy! It's kind of hard for him to stay away, in case you haven't noticed!" Quil said exasperatedly, throwing his hands up in the air. "God, Cassie, I never knew you were this hardheaded! Now, just do the world and my sanity a favor, and get in the wheelchair before I bash you in the head with it." I looked at the wheelchair in disgust, and then at Quil's serious expression.

"Fine," I grumbled reluctantly. "But I'm going to get in it _on my own_. No helping, not even if I ask for it."

"Alright, alright Miss Munchkin. Just hurry up, would you? Oprah's going to come on soon and I don't want to miss it."

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"Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow," I hissed each time I took a step. "Ow. O—"

"Dammit, Cassie! Get back on the couch!"

"But I'm _hungry_!" I wailed. Quil came out of the kitchen, pointing the spatula at me dangerously.

"Cassidy, you get on that couch right now or I will call your parents over to this house. Now, march, young lady! March!" he shrilled, and I grumbled incoherently.

My parents still hung around, even though I had been out of the hospital for two weeks. It was nearly August, and they said that they would stick around for a couple of months. College had been delayed for me because of my injuries, but I would start halfway through September. Even if it killed me.

Someone knocked at the door, and I almost went to get it, but Quil cleared his throat sharply. I turned to glare at him, but limped to the living room grudgingly. I had to ease myself onto the couch instead of just plopping down like I used to. It was all just a pain in my ass.

Quil straightened his apron—this time reading 'Bootylicious Princess'—and headed for the door. I rolled my eyes, flipping the channels on the television. Another sucky thing was that nothing good was on during the daytime.

I could hear Quil talking to someone, and I strained to listen.

"Quil, just let me see her," Paul begged. My eyes narrowed.

"Naw, man. No can do. Cassie will be pissed, and then she'll tell Gal Pal Al, and then Al will tell Embry, who'll kick my ass for pissing off Al! _I'm too beautiful to die_!" Quil whined. Paul sighed, aggravated.

"Look, just ask Cassie if she'll talk to me. Please, I'm desperate," Paul begged. Quil grunted something, and then he cleared his throat.

"Cassie, is it okay if—"

"No," I said automatically, flipping the channel.

"Told you," Quil chuckled. There was a sharp smacking sound, and Quil yelped. After a moment of what sounded like a tense whisper-conversation, Paul sighed raggedly.

"Okay, I'll leave. But I'm not going to give up so easily, Quil."

"I know that, and you shouldn't," Quil said, and I snorted. Paul sighed again, and I knew that he had heard me. I didn't care. Not a bit.

After Paul left, Quil gave me a sad side-glance.

"What?" I asked irritably.

"You know you're hurting him, right?" he asked. I shifted uncomfortably in my spot, flipping the channel. "This is really killing him, Cass."

"I don't care," I grumbled. Quil exhaled noisily.

"Whatever you say," he said, heading towards the kitchen. "Whatever you say…"

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I groaned, kicking the covers off. Why is it so _hot_? Where the hell am I? A freaking oven?

I lay on my stomach, smashing my pillow over my head. It was hard to sleep, and when I finally managed to, I dreamed. It was always about Paul, either in human form or in his wolf form—usually resulting in a nightmare.

Sitting up, I swung my legs over the edge of my bed and eased myself up. The moonlight beamed through my window, and the wind made the tree branches screech against the house. I stood in front of the window and peered out.

And, as usual, the silver wolf napped on the front lawn. Sometimes, when he was asleep, I liked to look out at him, as strange as it was. His ear twitched, and he raised his head to look up at my window.

We watched each other until the sun rose, just like every night. Paul looked to the rising sun, like he always did, and then back to me. I pulled back from the window and watched as he stood up, and headed towards the dark woods.

As I climbed into bed, letting exhaustion wash over me, I couldn't help but feel sad and a little guilty. But, as always, only just a little.

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**I'm too tired to put an extra long AN like I usually do down here [someone somewhere in the world just screamed 'Thank God!'], so I would just like to thank you all for reviewing and making my day. So, hopefully you guys like this chapter and the future ones I have in store. **

**I've already started the next chapter, and I know it's going to have mischief. And, Paul will be [also] coming in that chapter.  
**

**So, as always, click the lovely green/gray button and REVIEW. Do it. I dare ya.  
**


	20. Chapter Twenty

**Author's Note**

**Gah! **

**The reason why I haven't posted for a day or two [that's usually a short time, but to me it felt ridiculously LONG] is because**

**1. I haven't had time &**

**2. I had a major case of WRITER'S BLOCK. But, now that I have kicked it's sorry ass, here's this chapter! Hoo-ray!  
**

**Okay, so Questions: **

**teamjacob11: She feels guilty because she's in love with him [even though she hasn't even thought of or realized it yet, she is.]**

**Yodes: Gah! I do apologize for that. I really forgot to add some more of Cassie's reactions to him, but I completely forgot because I had so many ideas. But, thank you for pointing that out. Okay, lets just say...at first, she was a little nervous around him, but as time progressed, she grew comfortable around him. [Gawsh. How shit-ass does that sound?]**

**Invisible Truths: Your way over-due paragraph is at the end of the chapter.**

**metacognitive: Sadly not. But, of course he's going to have some more aprons in the future. I think of it as his 'trademark'. Maybe we'll see him pick up more personas in the future...?**

**Okay, I would like to thank you all for reviewing and your kick-ass comments! And hopefully you guys aren't PO'd that I didn't update yesterday. **

**Special thanks goes to jalapeno1011 for suggesting [part of] this chapter. It really helped with my brain block, and it was just perfect. Also for the others who posted suggestions, I've looked over them and may incorporate them into the story in the future, they were that good. Hopefully I'll remember when the time's right. **

**This may not be the best chapter, but hopefully things will pick up soon. So, I apologize ahead of time in case you don't like it. So, as always:**

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT own...aw, dammit! I just don't own Twilight! Satisfied Stephenie freaking Meyer?!**

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**Talking with Emily and an Encounter**

"Seth, you are officially deemed stupid gone crazy," I said, quirking an eyebrow as he emptied a whole bottle of ketchup into a huge balloon. It sloshed against the inside, making me grimace.

"Say whatever you want, Cassie," Seth said, grinning mischievously. "But I advise you not to tell the guys unless you want to be on the receiving end of my wrath."

"Oo, I'm so scared," I said sarcastically. I finally understood what Doctor Cullen meant when he said I would have 'bad days' and I would limp, but he didn't mention the pain. I'd kill him if he weren't already technically dead.

I hobbled over to the one of the chairs and eased myself into it, wincing as the pain flared up again in my thigh. Seth eyed me a moment before turning back to his evil scheme.

"And, tell me again why the guys deserve this?" I asked. He snorted, grabbing a jar of expired pickles from our refrigerator and examined it thoughtfully.

"_Because_, Cassie," Seth said. "They ruined my date and the only chance I had with that hot Spanish chick after I spent months learning how to speak the language. Now, if that doesn't call for payback, I don't know what does."

"But, shouldn't you just leave it to Divine Intervention? Let them give you justice so it won't be bad karma on your part?" I questioned, and Seth grunted.

"Too slow. I need to strike while the iron is hot, and when the guys least expect it. They think I'm over here watching you so you don't do anything stupid," he said, and I scowled darkly. "Which I am, but I'm also preparing for a war, too. Now, Emily, tell me: how fluffy are your pillows?"

"Seth, you are not going to massacre them by using my pillows," Emily said, stirring a pot of soup.

"How on earth are you going to even win, Seth? This is all just stupid, if you ask me," I said. Seth looked over at me exasperatedly.

"Cass, if you are not on my side, you are on their side. If you are on their side, then that means you are going to be _annihilated_ by various food products. Now, if I were you, I would pick my side because death by ketchup doesn't sound very appealing," Seth reasoned. "Now, can you toss down the salt shaker for me, please?"

"Here," I said, chucking it towards his head. But, of course, he caught it expertly and started filling up another balloon.

"Cassie, which do you think stings more?" he asked. "Salt or lemon juice in the eye?" I thought about it for a moment.

"How about a mixture of both?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. His jaw dropped.

"Devious. Freaking brilliant. Hey, Em? Do you mind if I use, like, roughly…all of your lemons to make this concoction?"

"Take only half."

"Okay. So, do you have anything explosive like…bombs or something?"

I sighed. "Why on earth would you need _explosives_?" Seth snorted, looking at me disbelievingly.

"Uh, _hello_? We're dealing with temperamental werewolves here, and nothing is going to stop them from payback unless it explodes and is capable of maiming or killing them. Duh," he said, going back to rifle through the refrigerator.

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"Wish me luck, my lovelies," Seth said to us, hauling his bag of evil towards the back door. I rolled my eyes at him, and Emily chuckled to herself.

"Just don't get killed, Seth," she said, taking a sip of her water. He snorted quietly, mumbling something about 'hormones' and 'insensitive women who deserve to have their tubes tied so as not to pass down their malicious genes'.

After Seth left, Emily smiled warmly at me. "Aren't men just the weirdest creatures?" I snorted a laugh, nodding my head. Emily smiled slightly, looking down at the bottle cap she was twirling on the tabletop. I watched as the cap spun faster and faster each time she twirled it.

"How is your leg, sweetie?" she asked kindly, and I wrung my hands in my lap.

"It's fine. You know, it just hurts a little," I said, eyes downcast and watched in mock fascination as the cap seemed to blur and blend together.

"Yes," she chuckled mirthlessly. "I know how it feels." I looked up at her darkened expression, but said nothing. Emily met my gaze and smiled bitterly.

"Tell me, Cassie, do you know how I got these scars?" she asked, running a slender hand over the scars that marred her beautiful face. My eyebrows furrowed, and I hesitantly answered.

"Yeah, you got mauled by a bear." After I said it, Emily gave out a breathless chuckle, shaking her head gently.

"No, dear. What _really_ happened. Could you guess at that?" she asked, and I felt even more confused. I looked at the long claw marks that raked across her dark russet skin. They were vicious looking, pulling the right side of her mouth down into a fierce scowl, contradicting the other side of her face.

But, they were also eerily familiar, the way they were shaped and left deep impressions. They looked just like…

"Oh my God," I whispered. Emily smiled sadly at me, nodding her head. She pulled up the long sleeve on her right arm, revealing the same scars. Her slender fingers stroked them, and an almost sentimental expression took over in her eyes.

"It happened nearly ten years ago," Emily said quietly. "I was visiting La Push to see my cousin—Leah, who at the time was dating Sam. Unbeknownst to us, a little while before, the werewolf gene in Sam had made its presence known. Of course, only he and the elders knew of it while the rest of us were kept in the dark.

"When Leah introduced me to Sam, he imprinted on me. For the weeks I stayed, he acted strange, and tended to try and avoid me at all costs. I was confused by his behavior, but thought nothing of it. That is, until he broke it off with Leah…

"Leah was heartbroken, and that made me furious. I tracked Sam down at his house, and I just blew up. I let him know that he was a despicable, low-life scum and he didn't deserve Leah. Sam wasn't too happy about that, and he threw back some hot-tempered words of his own. We yelled at each other until we were hoarse and out of breath, but then I said something that went to far, and Sam lost his temper and phased." Emily paused for a moment, eyes scrunching together as she focused on a piece of memory.

"At the hospital," she continued. "I woke up, finding that the right side of my face was bandaged up and Sam at my side. I was infuriated, to say the least. I told him to stay away from me, and away from Leah. I didn't want what happened to me to happen to her. But, his action surprised and ticked me off even more: he disagreed with me, and vowed to make it up to me. As weeks passed without site of Sam, I grew depressed, completely oblivious as to why. And then the roses started coming…" she trailed off, chuckling to herself.

"I was adamant in my decision to stay away from him, but as Jake once so wisely put it: it's hard to resist that kind of devotion. Sam was the ultimate gentleman, and he didn't care that I was marred; damaged goods. He loved me unconditionally, and I fell for him," Emily sighed quietly to herself, twisting the diamond ring on her left hand. "And here we stand."

I looked down at me feet, barely reaching the floor. It was obvious that Sam adored, no, adulated Emily. But I couldn't help but think, did Paul see me the same way?

Emily patted my head, smiling kindly down at me. "Don't worry about it, Cassie. Paul loves you so very much, but it just isn't his style to wear his heart on his sleeve. But, if I know him, he won't give up on you; he's much too stubborn."

"So, you aren't going to hassle me to give Paul a chance?" I asked timidly, and Emily shook her head.

"No, Cassie. I went through the same thing you are going through, and I know what it's like. You should be mad, and you should make him work for it. When you're ready, you'll forgive him and take him back." Emily placed a motherly hand on my head, mussing it slightly. I nodded my head, smiling at her.

A timer went off, and the moment was gone. Emily stood up and went to the oven, putting on mittens to pull out a pan of bread.

"Everything looks okay. Cassie? Do you think I should make more—" There was a loud crash and raucous laughter outside. The smile left Emily's face and was replaced with a demonic look, and I immediately feared for the guys' lives.

Emily set the pan on the counter, slung her mittens down beside it and made her way towards the back door. Less than five seconds later, she was yelling at the top of her lungs at the guys, and I had the urge to plug my ears.

"You guys better clean this up or there will be _no food_!" she screeched, slamming the door behind her as she reentered the house. It was absolutely quiet outside, and Emily went back to the stove.

"What did they do?" I asked, and her nostrils flared.

"They managed to uproot every living thing in my garden, destroyed all of the ornaments, and everything is coated with expired and outdated food from those damned balloons Seth made. Those boys, I swear!" she growled, yanking a bag of frozen chicken strips from the freezer and slammed the door. I winced as Emily ripped open the bag with one vicious tug and shoved them into the microwave. Her fingers pounded on the buttons of the machine and she slammed the door shut.

Emily turned to me and smiled apologetically. "Hormones," she said sheepishly, and I grinned.

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"Fwif imph gudd, Emfifly," Quil said, shoving yet another piece of chicken down his throat. I played with mine, tearing into little bits to make it look like I ate something. Jake eyed me warily.

"Are you going to eat, Cassie?" he asked, sounding like a reprimanding father. I rolled my eyes at him, tearing off yet another piece of chicken.

"I'm not hungry," I said simply, tossing a bit at his forehead. He rubbed his forehead, and Emily looked at him sternly.

"Jacob, leave the poor girl alone. If she doesn't want to eat, she doesn't have to."

"Oo! Can I have her food?" Seth asked, flinging his hand up in the air like he was in elementary school. Emily glared at him, and I shoved my plate towards him.

"You can have it, Seth. I'm going to go home, guys. I'll see you later," I said, standing up and heading towards the door. There was a chorus of goodbyes as I left, and I didn't miss the sad look in Emily's eye as I passed her.

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I turned the key into the lock and opened the door. The television blared in the living room and I could hear Embry and Al talking quietly.

"Tell him that she doesn't like showy things; it's just not her style. She also doesn't really care for flowers either, so tell him that's out. And she doesn't—"

"What are you guys hissing about in here?" I asked, flipping on the living room light. Al squeaked, and Embry jumped. They were on the couch, looking at me as if I just asked for directions to Narnia. "Well?"

"We were…well, we were," Al stuttered, looking at Embry.

"We were just discussing what we think Pamela Anderson likes in men, is all," he answered, and I looked at him strangely.

"O…kay," I said, heading back upstairs. "I'm going to bed. Night, guys." I went up the stairs slowly just in case they said something else, but they didn't.

I walked into my room, stretching. The pain flared in my back, and I grimaced lightly. I ambled over to my chest-of-drawers and pulled out my pajama pants and shirt. I tossed them carelessly onto my unmade bed and reached to take off my top when I caught my drapes open. I snapped them shut, self-conscious. Would Paul have seen me?

I flushed brightly at the thought, and continued to undress out of my clothes. Gingerly, I put on the light pajama shirt so it wouldn't weigh down on my sensitive back. I thought about Emily, and how she had forgiven Sam.

She told me I should make him work for it, and I would. It's just that I hadn't even given him the chance to; I just shut him out of my life completely. Was it fair of me to do so, or was I just being stubborn? I sighed in frustration, both at Paul and myself. Why did this relationship have to be so _complex_?

I pulled back the covers on my bed and lowered myself gently into the spot. The pillows were soft, and the blankets comforting, but they didn't do my insomnia any good. I tossed and turned for hours, sighing and grumbling in aggravation.

I flipped over onto my right side, staring into the darkness. A sliver of moonlight peaked through a crack in the drapes, casting itself onto the floor. Paul popped into my mind, and I scowled half-heartedly. Was he outside again?

There was only one way to find out. I sidled out of the bed and wandered over to the window. I pulled back a side of the curtain gently to peep through it. I felt silly when I didn't see Paul's sleeping figure on the lawn. I pulled away from the window, trying to push back the stinging hurt and disappointment I felt. I brushed my hair out of my eyes, and bit my lip.

I looked back outside—convincing myself that I didn't care that he wasn't there—and stared at the large moon. It cast a pale light on the surroundings, and the large, looming trees of the woods threw even larger shadows. I turned to look at my messy bed, and then back outside. I sure wasn't going to fall asleep anytime soon, so why not?

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I snuck out of the house, closing the front door behind me as gently as I could. The night air was cool, unlike the humid summer days. I made my way across the lawn and sat down in the place where Paul usually lay at—a place, I noticed, where he had an excellent view of my room.

My cheeks tinted pink as I lay out on the dewy grass. I placed both arms behind my head, and crossed my ankles over one another. The wind rustled the trees softly, and I closed my eyes at the soothing rushing sound it made. I faded into unconsciousness and dreamed about Paul.

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A soft crunch of leaves woke me up. My eyes fluttered open, and when I turned to the direction of the sound, I saw the large silver wolf laying but a few feet away from me. I snapped up into sitting position, wincing as the pain flared up again.

Paul whined softly, concerned. I shook my head at him, and he quieted. His dark brown eyes scanned over me, looking for any opened scratches. When he didn't find any, he rested his head onto his front paws, his gaze never leaving mine. Before, when I looked at him from far away, I couldn't make out the sadness in his eyes. But now that I could, I felt pained that I was the one who put it there.

I held my hand out to him hesitantly, motioning for him to come closer. Paul blinked for a moment, his tail wagging gently. After he saw that I wasn't taking it back, he crawled towards me on his belly, making me smile. When Paul was in my reach, I stroked his head gently. He closed his eyes, his lips pulling up into a wolfy smile.

"I guess I've been a little bitchy, haven't I?" I asked softly. Paul's eyes opened, and he seemed to glare at me for a moment. I ignored him and continued. "Well, I have been, and I'm sorry for that. I should have given you a chance, but I suppose I didn't." It was quiet for a moment, and Paul looked at me questioningly.

"I talked to Emily today," I said quietly. A look of recognition flashed in his dark eyes, and he immediately looked somber. "She told me about what happened to her and Sam. How it took her a while to forgive him, but given the chances she gave him, she was able to do it within good time. And I realized that I had been selfish, only wanting to wallow in my self-pity so much so that I didn't even bother giving you a fair chance," I explained quietly. Paul whined again, and I chuckled at his protests. I petted his head again, and he quieted.

"But, Paul, I've decided that I am going to give you a chance," I said and Paul's tail started to wag so hard that it was a wonder he didn't fall over. I shook my head at him. "It's not going to be so easy, Paul. I want us to start over and be just friends. And, after that, we'll see where it goes, okay?" To my amazement, Paul nodded his head, just like he would do if he were in his human form. I immediately felt silly for expecting otherwise.

Paul lowered himself onto the ground beside me, and I leaned into his shaggy fur. What sounded like a purr emitted from his chest, and I smiled. His warmth surrounded me, and my eyelids fluttered closed.

I felt Paul's fur recede, and his warm arms encircling me. The last thing I heard before falling into a deep sleep was Paul whispering my name.

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**Okay, so I read that you guys wanted them back together AND some wanted Paul to pay. Well, we've got a combination of the two. Paul and Cassie will be JUST FRIENDS until Cassie feels like Paul has redeemed himself. Damn straight. Also, the reason why I didn't have Emily tell the story about Leah and her angst is because...well, Cassie needed guidance in her situation. Leah's story will be told later on.  
**

**To Invisible Truths [I'll try to make this as long as possible since my fingers already hurt from the ANs and the story]:**

**You have a GPS?! I ate mine. It didn't taste too good. I was looking for you last chapter! I was like, "Where the hell is my damn review?!" And, yes, I was terribly upset. I agree; last chapter was...eh. And so was this chapter! Hooray!!!...no. :)**

**I love your french. *.* Is anyone really a morning person? Not unless they're the devil. Only evil starts early in the morning. I rode a horse once or twice. Last time I did, though, it threw me off. Yowch! I've been terrified of riding one ever since. You have an exam? I've been out of school. Pshaw. And you do make the kickass reviews. I literally laughed my ass off when I saw how long your review was. I even showed my sister. She was like, "What the [bleep]!" **

**Last book I read was Graceling by I-Forgot-Who, but it was so kickass. Porcupine? Never heard of it. Sounds unique. For the clothes I wear, I'm pretty content with baggy pants, a t-shirt, and my big hulking hoodie with superheroes on it. Even though it gets to be over 100 degrees outside, you can bet your ass I wear it. One of these days I'm going to turn into bacon...yum.**

**Your stories aren't sucky. I read the one where Bella pushed Edward out of the tree and I thought it was adorable/hilarious. I just forgot to review for it. I haven't read the other one, though, and for that I apologize for my laziness! **

**My vision sucks ass, and I have to wear some super strong glasses. It sucks to have the vision of a mole. xD**

**I have wavy weird-brown hair that I have to straighten now. It's getting too long [it's at my shoulders. Blech] and it weighs itself down so it doesn't have as much body as it once did. No! I also have hazel eyes that change from brown-geen to golden-brown. One time my eyes had so much gold in them my friend said I looked like a Cullen. That was a marvelous day. And, the weird thing is that my golden-brown eyes match the lower parts of my hair. Literally. In my room, the walls are bare. Yuck. One of these days, I'm just going to splash paint around for the hell of are so lucky to have a room with personality. Envy...**

**I wouldn't go as far as to say I might even compare with Daddy's Little Cannibal, but that was very sweet of you to say so.  
**

**Ow! My fingahs just popped! I've got to stop before I wind up in the hospital. So, thank you so much for that spankin' awesome review, and I better here from you!**

**As for the rest of you guys, I'd like [LOVE] to hear more from you guys. Perhaps some more suggestions, too? Okay, I've got to go before my fingers fall off. So, REVIEW! Please?**

**PS: Thanks europ92 for the review and adding my story to your community! Mwah! Kisses!  
**


	21. Chapter Twenty One

**Author's Note**

**Okay, short chapter that was written in a rush, blah blah blah...**

**Quick announcement thingy: Thank you guys for the reviews! [Thirty three reviews; we beat a record!] Thanks to for reviewing ten times! [Wow!] And happy [belated] birthday to twilightaddict131! Woo!**

**Okay, that's it for the author's note this chapter. [I got a complaint about super long notes, and now I'm very self-conscious. Grumble grumble...] xD  
**

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Twilight. **

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**Daddy Jake and Momma Quil**

I opened my eyes slowly, stretching my arms and legs. I was back in my room with the covers placed neatly over me so that I wouldn't be cold. Paul must have brought me in last night.

A smile pulled at my lips as I sat up, gently pushing away the blankets that covered me. I stood up, surprised when the flare of pain in my leg that I was so accustomed to didn't appear. I wiggled it around, and even twirled around in a circle, but it still didn't materialize. With a giddy, and nearly hysterical giggle, I skipped out of my room and down the stairs. I pranced towards the kitchen, humming tunelessly.

"Cassie?" Quil called softly from the living room. I backtracked from the kitchen and into the living room.

"Yeah?" I asked, smiling brightly. Jake and Quil were sitting side by side on the couch. Jake's arms were crossed over his chest, looking dark and imposing. Quil, on the other hand, was leaning back into the couch with his legs daintily crossed.

"Where were you last night?" Jake asked sternly, and Quil looked away from me, playing with a strand of his hair nervously.

"Um. In my room?" I asked.

"_Bzz_! Wrong answer! Try again," Jake said, and Quil sniffled, blotting the corner of his eyes with a Kleenex tissue. My eyebrows furrowed.

"Do you mean when I went outside?" I asked confusedly. Jake sprang up from the couch, and circled around me.

"Ding ding ding! We have a winner!" he said sarcastically, coming to a stop right in front of me. "Paul brought you in last night…_naked_." Quil let out a little cry, blubbering into his large hands. Jake went over to him, patting his back comfortingly. He turned to glare at me accusingly. "See what you've done with your irresponsible behavior, Cassidy Anne! You made your _mother cry_!"

I gaped stupidly at him. "Paul was…_naked_?" I asked, feeling the blood rush into my cheeks. Quil looked up from his hands, sniffling. Jake nodded his head, his lips set into a grim line. "And I didn't get to see him?!" I cried. It was so…_unfair_!

Quil let out a loud cry and buried his head into Jake's shoulder, sobbing deafeningly. "O-Our baby!" he wailed in despair, and Jake patted his head. I rolled my eyes at them, heading back upstairs.

"I'm going to go take a shower and then head over to Emily's. I'll see you guys later," I said, taking the steps two at a time.

"You're not going over there unsupervised, young lady!" Jake yelled up to me, and I grumbled. Why did they have to be my second set of parents?

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"Don't let him touch you here," Quil said, pointing to my chest. "Or here, or there, and, oh! _Especially_ _not there_—"

"Quil! We're just friends!" I squeaked, covering myself from his pointing finger. Jake looked at me through the rearview mirror while expertly guiding the truck along the road.

Quil looked at me shrewdly. "Did Paul say that? Well, if he says something like, 'it's okay for us to do this because we're _just friends_', don't fall for it. I don't want you two—"

"Cut it out, Quil!" I said, smacking away his hand. Quil narrowed his eyes at me critically, mouth smashing in a prim line.

"I'm just trying to protect you, _Cassidy_," he huffed. "You are absolutely new to this, and I don't want you giving in to peer pressure…" I groaned loudly, resting my forehead against the cool car window. Rain drizzled outside, smacking against the car as Jake drove. Quil babbled on, something about 'protection' and 'birth control', in which I wasn't too eager to make sense of. A few minutes later, the truck came to a smooth halt, and Quil clapped his hands delightedly.

"We're here!" he announced, unbuckling his seat belt. I smashed down on the release button and all but ran out of the truck and into Emily's house. I flung the door open, the warm air hitting me like a blast, and I breathed in the blissful scent of Emily's cooking. Heavenly.

"Oo! You're here!" Kim cried, heaving herself up off of the couch and waddled over to me. She seized me with a tight grip, effectively cutting off my air supply and crushing my lungs. "It's been so _long_!" she squealed excitedly, and I nodded my head, trying in vain to pull back from her strong and very capable hands.

Mercifully, Kim let go to smile down at me. Her belly protruded, large and round. Seeing my gaze, her smile brightened.

"He's due in three months!" she squealed again, and I flinched.

"A boy, huh? What are you going to name him?" I asked, itching to cover my sensitive ears. Kim wiggled with anticipation, shrugging her shoulders excitedly.

"I don't know! There are just so many names in the world, and Jared and I just can't seem to agree on one! Isn't this just so great?!" Kim shrilled, and grabbed me in for another crushing hug.

"Can't…_breathe_!" I gasped. Kim immediately let me go, giggling girlishly as I panted for breath.

"Oops!" she laughed. "Sometimes I just don't know how to control myself!"

"I'll say," I grumbled. "Where's Emily at, anyway?"

"She's in the kitchen cooking, of course," Kim said, rolling her eyes. "I swear. Those guys will eat the whole world into depression. Luckily for Jared, I can cook," she said and grabbed my hand, leading me towards the kitchen.

Emily stood in front of the stove, tapping her foot and looking quite frazzled. When she saw us, relief flashed across her face and she motioned us forward.

"Thank God! I'm afraid I'm a little tied up right now, and I need you two's help making the food. Kim, could you stir this pot and Cassie, dear? Could you chop up these onions and just sprinkle them into the pot as she stirs? I've got to go run over to the grocery store an—"

"Go, go. We've got this," Kim said, scooting Emily out of the kitchen. "You just go ahead and do what you have to do; Cassie and I have you covered." Emily eyed us both critically, looking somewhat reluctant to leave her station.

"Okay," she grumbled. "But if you two have any trouble at all, just—"

"We'll call you, Em. Now, hurry up and get your ass out of the house and to the grocery store," Kim said teasingly, ushering her out to the front door.

After Emily left, Kim came back, rolling her eyes playfully to me. "That woman has no life, I swear to you. All she wants to do is cook and clean," she laughed. "Now, how about we start on this soup, huh?" I nodded. I grabbed a knife from a drawer and grabbed the onions that were already waiting on the cutting board.

Kim and I talked meaningless chatter, ranging from the babies to the guys, where she got an exceptionally mischievous look in her eyes. "So," she said conversationally. "You've forgiven Paul?" I snorted, dicing the onions.

"I'm no where near doing that, Kim. He's got a lot to make up for," I said, and Kim looked at me strangely.

"But, Jared told me that you guys made up or something?" she asked, eyebrows furrowing.

"I guess you _could_ say that, but that's not entirely correct," I explained, pouring some of the diced onions into the pot. Kim stirred the liquid inside, looking at me curiously. I shrugged my shoulders noncommittally. "We're going to start over and just be friends." To my surprise, and irritation, Kim laughed loudly. I scowled at her.

"What's so funny?" I asked. Kim chuckled, shaking her head.

"I don't think that's going to last very long, Cass honey," she said.

"And why not?" I hissed, and Kim grinned.

"Have you _seen_ the boy?" she asked, looking almost incredulous. I looked at her confusedly, and she smiled larger. "I may be married to my soul mate, but as a girl, I know Paul is extremely attractive," Kim explained. My face darkened, and Kim immediately backtracked. "Of course I don't think of him as something more than a friend, Cass. I love Jared, and I wouldn't trade him for the world! It's just that, as a girl, I have the sense to know who is and isn't attractive, you know?" I nodded my head. The peculiar heat that swirled in my stomach started to dissipate slightly.

"And, why exactly would that affect our ability to maintain our relationship at a friendly level?" I asked snippily, and Kim smiled slyly at me.

"Well, by the years I have known Paul, I'm pretty sure he's going to tease you with his sex appeal until you give in," she said.

"You mean he's going to try and _seduce me_?!" I squeaked.

"Not seduce, per se, but something close to that. But, if he thinks you'll let him seduce you, then he probably will—"

"So, where are the guys at, anyway?" I asked, my voice a little too high-pitched. My face flushed a bright red, and I chopped faster.

"Sam needed to talk to them about patrolling, is all. They'll be back anytime now." I almost asked what she had meant by patrolling, but I decided against it. Instead, I just grabbed another onion and started dicing.

A door slammed opened, and Seth boomed, "Honey! I'm home!" There was a smacking sound, and rowdy laughter. Kim rolled her eyes, smiling at me.

The guys ambled into the kitchen, taking their places at the table and looked at us expectantly. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Paul staring at me.

"Where's the food, dudes?" Seth asked, and Kim glared at him.

"We're not 'dudes', thank you very much. And the food isn't ready, so why don't you guys go away until it's finished?" There were groans around the room.

"Fine," Seth grumbled. "But I need a drink to sustain my life flow." With a dramatic sweep, Seth picked himself out of the chair and made his way towards the refrigerator. With a sigh, he wrenched open the door and rummaged through it before he found a soda. He popped the tab and guzzled from it. Less than ten seconds later, it was completely empty and was crushed in his large hand.

Seth tossed the compacted can into the garbage and rubbed his stomach. "Excuse me, _ladies_," he teased, moving around us to leave. He bumped into my back, and the serrated knife sliced into my skin.

"_Dammit_!" I hissed as the blood oozed from the cut, dripping onto the counter and half chopped onion. Warm hands grabbed my hands gently and guided them to the sink. Paul flicked on the water, placing my scratched hand under the cool stream.

"Kim, does Emily keep a first-aid kit around here?" Paul asked, and she nodded. She opened up one of the cabinets and pulled out a small white kit. Kim opened it, grabbing some cotton balls and a bottle of peroxide.

Paul turned off the water and Kim grabbed my hands to swab down the cut with the cold peroxide. When she was done, she bandaged it, securing it gently.

There was a deep rumbling from behind me, and I turned to see Paul glare menacingly at Seth. He trembled violently, and Seth put his hands up in surrender.

"It was an accident, Paul," I said softly. Paul scoffed quietly, but his tremors lightened. I touched his hand with my good one, squeezing it gently. He looked down at me with dark, intense eyes. I flushed lightly.

"A-_hem_," Quil cleared his throat lightly. "Can we please just go and do something fun while we wait? I'm kind of getting _bored here_!" Paul growled at him, but didn't make a move to maim him, which was a good sign.

"You guys get out of here," Kim ordered. "You too, Jared! We can't have you guys distracting us while we cook!" There were grumbles, but the guys stood to leave. Paul didn't move from behind me, looking torn.

"Go on, Paul," I said. "I'm fine; you can leave."

Paul rolled his eyes at me, but smiled. "Just promise me you won't go stabbing yourself," he teased. I snorted, and he chuckled. I let go of his hand, ignoring his pout, and started to clean the blood off of the counter. Paul mumbled something, but left, but not before flashing a brilliant smile at me that left my face red.

After he left, Kim chuckled. I asked her what she was laughing at, and she regarded me with an impish look. "'Just friends' my ass."

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**SHA BLAM! Now review. [Remember, I am going for +10 reviews per chapter! Help me out, please?]**


	22. Chapter Twenty Two

**Author's Note**

**I loved the reviews I got. Okay, quick things:**

**Yodes: I'm sorry to hear about that! I hope you get better soon! **

** Unforgettable . Love : You! I still can't believe you made me a [uber sexy] banner for the story! You are now deemed 'Freaking awesome! [Sorry I had to space your name; darn CPU won't let your name show up otherwise...]  
**

**OK, I don't think I missed anything, so read!**

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Twilight!**

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**Dinner at Emily's**

Emily was throwing orders at Kim and I, and we scrambled around the kitchen to fulfill her orders. She barked them out rapid fire, and I immediately regretted agreeing to help.

"Kim! Look in the cupboards and see if you can find the pepper! Cassie! Go ask the guys _where in the hell Sam is_!" Emily barked. I all but ran out of the kitchen of hell to the outside where the guys were.

"Dude! Don't tell us that!" I heard Jared laugh. Quil nodded his head, smiling largely.

"So, Paul? How's your lady in that department?" he asked, a challenge in his tone. In the dark, I could make out Paul's fierce scowl.

"You know we haven't gone that far, Quil," he snarled. "Why do you even bother to ask such a stupid question?" Quil rolled his eyes at him.

"You're still not out of the doghouse?" Seth asked dubiously, and my eyes tightened. "Dude, how long until she's going to take you back?"

"I don't know," Paul grumbled, drumming his fingers on his thigh. Quil made a noise in the back of his throat, leaning back in his chair.

"I see," he said, and Paul snorted. "Paulie, I've had this problem before with my Claire-Bear—"

"_Shocker_," Paul mumbled sarcastically, but Quil ignored him.

"It all happened a few months ago when I accidentally ran over Claire's favorite stuffed animal-thingy with the lawn mower. One minute I was cutting grass, and then white fluff was falling from the sky—or so I thought. At first I thought it was snowing, even though it was sunny and hot outside, until I heard Claire screaming. Of course, being the lovable and awesome soul mate, I rushed to her aid and tried to comfort her. But, Claire wasn't too happy, and she kicked me in the…you know, _family jewels_." The guys grimaced in unison, and Quil nodded his head solemnly.

"Well, what did you do to make up for it?" Paul asked impatiently.

"At first, I tried to buy her an exact replica of it, but she didn't want it. She said that it couldn't replace her beloved toy—I know! I thought _I_ was her beloved toy!

"So, the next thing I did was take her out on a romantic date, but she still didn't forgive me. A few weeks later, and thousands upon thousands of attempts later, I was like, _screw this!_, and I just quit trying."

"And that worked?" Paul asked incredulously.

"Hell no! It only made her _madder_, and you can be damned sure that she wouldn't come anywhere near me. So, I decided to use my mad motherly skills to the test, and I took her raggedy-ass toy and sewed him back together. Armed with that, and a heartfelt apology, I was unstoppable, and Claire finally forgave me," Quil said, smiling.

"So…you want Paul to sew Cassie back together?" Seth chortled. Paul smacked him on the back of his head, snarling quietly.

"No. What master guru-Quil is _trying_ to say is that Paulie here should just suck it up and apologize to Cassie. Duh," Quil said, rolling his eyes.

Paul shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "You know I'm not any good with that kind of stuff, Quil," he said quietly.

Jared snorted. "Dude, you tell us how you feel _all the time_, yet you can't tell Cassie how you feel?"

"Well, technically, Paul doesn't tell us how he feels; he just beats the crap out of us."

"Same thing." Seth argued.

"So, you're saying that instead of apologizing, Paul should just ravish Cassie to get his feelings across?" Quil asked disbelievingly. Seth nodded his head, and Paul groaned loudly.

"And how, exactly, is this helping me?" he asked, letting his head loll back.

"We're giving you invaluable advice here!" Seth protested. Paul lifted his head to glare menacingly at his friend.

"What advice? So far, you've told me to _sew her together_ and then sex her up! Now, call me crazy, but that doesn't sound like advice worth shit."

"But we also said to tell her how you feel," Quil interjected. "Which is gold in itself. It's not our fault that you're too insecure to tell her how you feel about her."

"I. Am. Not. Insecure," Paul growled. Seth tutted, waggling a finger at him.

"That's what they all say," he accused. "What are you so scared of, anyway?"

"I'm not scared," Paul objected. The guys raised their eyebrows at him disbelievingly, and he sighed in defeat. "I'm just afraid of losing her." My heart twanged, and I unconsciously leaned forward to catch his soft words.

Seth put a hand on his shoulder. "Cassie wouldn't leave you, dude. She may not look it, but she's tough enough to deal with your shit." Paul chuckled, and Seth smiled. "Cassie will understand what you're trying to say; she's your soul mate, for food's sakes!"

"Paul, what we're trying to say is: just make up, dammit. We miss having you guys make goo-goo eyes at each other, as sick as it sounds."

"Who would turn down free porn?"

"My thoughts exactly. So, Paul, what are you going to do to make it up to her?" Quil asked, and Paul looked off into the woods thoughtfully.

"I…don't know." The guys groaned loudly, and Paul glared at them.

I smiled to myself, retreating back into the house. There was a busy hum coming from the kitchen as Emily and Kim cooked the meal.

"There you are, Cassie. You were gone an awfully long time. What took you so long?" Emily asked, not even looking at me. I just shrugged my shoulders. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Emily grin at Kim, who smirked back. I didn't bother to ask, and busied myself with slicing up some fruit.

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"Hey, Emily," Leah said, grinning as she sat down in a chair. Emily smiled at her mischievously.

"So, where's Tommy?" she asked, and Leah blushed.

"Outside with the guys and the girls," she said, a small smile on her lips. I grinned myself at how cute she acted when she talked about Tommy. I could tell he really made her happy.

"Well, how about you quit being lazy and get your ass over here to help with the food?" Kim said teasingly, and Leah laughed.

"Nah. I think I would be doing you guys a disservice if I even attempted to help," she said. Kim turned to me, smiling impishly.

"Leah can't cook for her life. One time, she nearly burnt the house down trying to make _jell-o_," she giggled, and I laughed. Leah mock-scowled at us.

"Hey, that jell-o was asking for it, what with it's back sassing and all," Leah chuckled, and we laughed.

Emily sighed. "I wonder what they're doing outside?"

"The guys will be acting like idiots, of course, and the girls will be watching on the sidelines laughing their asses off as the watch the guys pummel each other," Leah said matter-of-factly, crossing her legs. We made sounds of agreement as we bustled about.

I took out some plates and set them on the counter, and Leah appraised my hand. "What happened there?" she asked, taking my hand in hers to examine it.

"Your brother bumped into me while I was slicing up some onions and I cut myself," I said, and Leah laughed.

"What an idiot. I bet Paul threw a real bitch fit, huh?" she asked, and I flushed.

"Kind of, but not really," I grumbled, gently pulling my hand from hers. She didn't take offense, just smiling at me. Emily rolled her eyes playfully at Leah.

"She can be so nosey, right Cassie?" she asked, and Leah stuck her tongue out at her.

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"Food's ready!" Emily hollered. Pounding footsteps and yelling disrupted the moment of silence, and we braced ourselves for the inevitable war.

"Quil! Quit _pushing me_!" Jared growled.

"Well, if you weren't so slow!"

"Will the both of you shut the hell up? There's _food_ waiting for us!" Seth reasoned, and I rolled my eyes. There was a chorus of agreement as the guys swarmed into the kitchen, grabbing everything edible off of the table.

Paul walked in with Tommy trailing behind him, looking just a little pale. Leah ran over to him and wrapped her arms around his waist.

"What's wrong?" she asked, concerned. "Paul, what did you do to him?" Leah scowled at him, and Paul just shrugged his shoulders, an innocent smile plastered to his face.

"We just had a talk," Tommy said, laughing shakily. I eyed Paul inquisitively, but he just smiled.

"Hey, Tommy," I greeted, running over to squeeze by Leah and hugged him. He chuckled, mussing my hair.

"Hey, midget," he said cheerfully, wrapping his arms around Leah and I. "My two favorite women in the whole wide world. How did I ever get so lucky?" Leah giggled, winking at me slyly.

"Keep touching Cassie, and we'll see how lucky you feel in a minute," Paul threatened, prying me off of Tommy. I scowled at Paul, and Tommy laughed.

"You sure have a keeper there, Cass," Tommy said, tightening his grip on Leah's waist. I looked up at Paul, who was scowling fiercely.

"Hurry up or the food'll be gone!" Emily warned, gesturing to the nearly empty table. If possible, Paul's scowl darkened even more. I patted his arm comfortingly, and he grumbled something incoherent.

As he went off to get food, I grabbed Tommy into a hug again, barely refraining from squealing. "You guys are so _cute_ together!" I gushed, tightening my grip.

"Well, you better back off my man," Leah teased. "Or Paul will probably come over here and castrate poor Tommy." I looked over to see Paul glowering at the sallow looking Tommy, and I stuck my tongue out at him.

"He's so mean," I pouted, letting go of Tommy. Leah laughed, leaning her head onto Tommy's shoulder.

"He's not mean; he's just…possessive," she said, and Tommy made a noise in the back of his throat.

"What an understatement," Tommy grumbled.

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"_Touchdown_!" Quil hollered, jostling Claire on his lap as he did a little chair dance. "Pay up, my good man!" Embry grumbled complainingly, smacking a twenty-dollar bill in his hand. Al rubbed his back comfortingly, and I pursed my lips. Everyone in the room—with the exception of Paul and I—were acting all lovey-dovey with their significant other. Hell, even Seth was getting all romantic with his food.

"I'm going to go take a walk outside," I said to no one in particular, scooting past the preoccupied love birds.

"I'll come with you," Paul interjected, standing up to follow me out. I shrugged my shoulders noncommittally, walking out the front door with Paul on my heels.

"So, where are we going?" Paul asked, and again I shrugged my shoulders. I really didn't know where we were going. I could hear his quiet footsteps behind me as we walked. The moon was full and high, casting every thing in a silvery glow. The stars twinkled brightly on the dark sky, lighting our path to nowhere.

"Lets play twenty questions," I suggested, and Paul agreed. "Hmm…what is your favorite song?" I asked. Paul looked at the stars for a moment.

"I really don't have a favorite song; I don't listen to music much," he said truthfully, and I gasped.

"You don't listen to music?!" I yelled incredulously. "That makes you sound so dull!" Paul chuckled softly.

"You balance me out, Cass," he said quietly as my skin tinted pink. I cleared my throat and picked up the pace.

"Your turn."

"Okay, what's _your_ favorite song?" he asked.

"I'm…not sure," I said. "I think I could narrow the songs down to either _With legs like that_ by Zebrahead or _Forever_ by Kamelot. So, what's your favorite childhood memory?"

"My favorite childhood memory would be when I was five and I first had to go to school. I begged my mom not to make me go, but she made me, and by the end of the day, I was in the principal's office."

"Oh my God. What did you _do_?" I gasped, and Paul chuckled.

"Well, first I threw a fit, then I put glue all over the teacher's chair, and lastly I punched one of my classmates in the face," he said, smiling. I gaped at him.

"You were a little _demon_," I accused, and he laughed loudly.

"Hey, the boy had it coming to him. He stole my graham crackers."

"Even back then you were crazy for food," I said, and he laughed.

"Well, if Jared hadn't had a terrible case of sticky fingers, then he wouldn't have gotten a bloody nose."

"You punched Jared in the face, and _that's_ your favorite childhood memory?" I asked dubiously, and he mock glared at me.

"Hey, don't knock my memories. What's _your_ favorite memory?" he asked, and I poked my tongue out at him.

"My favorite childhood memory is when I was ten, and I got my first kiss." Paul tensed, and I heard his jaw snap shut.

"Who was you first kiss?" he spat through his clenched teeth, voice strangled. I smirked at him.

"Mickey Mouse," I said, grinning widely. Paul relaxed slightly, but glared at me.

"That wasn't funny, Cassie," he grumbled, and I laughed.

"It was, and you know it," I said. "So, who was your first kiss?" To my surprise, Paul wrinkled his nose disgustedly.

"Quil," he gagged, looking nauseous. I snorted a laugh, and he glowered down at me. "It's not funny, Cassie. That was the most humiliating and disgusting day of my life. It happened when I was fifteen, and I guess the guys were playing truth or dare. But I do know that one minute I'm playing my video game and the next Quil pressed his lips against mine an—ugh, can we change the subject?"

"Your first kiss was _Quil_," I sniggered. "What did you do to him after that?"

"Nothing really. I just chased him down and broke his arm," Paul said off-handedly, and I chuckled. "My turn. So, do you have feelings for Tommy?"

"Wha?" I asked incredulously. Paul's face was carefully blank, but I could see that he was tensed up again. "Are you _serious_?" I questioned flatly. "Paul, shouldn't you know by now that Tommy and I are just friends?" We had come to a stop, and Paul was staring at the ground, kicking a pebble.

"Paul—and don't you repeat this to the guys," I warned. "Tommy can't hold a candle to you, and there is nothing between us. _Nothing_" I repeated it for emphasis. Paul looked up to me and beamed in the darkness. "Happy now?"

"Extremely."

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"It's getting late," I said, standing up to brush the dirt off my pants. Paul stood up, too, and waited for me. My feet were killing me from the long walk, and it didn't help that I chose to wear high heels.

"Hey, Paul?" I asked sweetly. "We're friends, right?" Paul looked at me suspiciously, but nodded his head.

"I guess so. Why?"

"Oh, nothing. Say, can you turn around for me and crouch down just a little?" I asked. Paul looked confused, but did what I asked him. I placed my hands on the back of his shoulders and hopped up, wrapping my arms and legs around him.

"Well, seeing as how we're friends," I said. "You can carry me back to the house."

"And what makes you think I'll do that?" Paul asked teasingly.

"Because friends carry their friends when their feet hurt. Plus, if I even attempted to walk back in these killer shoes, I'd probably break a leg. Now, you don't want that to happen, do you?"

"Actually, now that you mention it…"

"Shut it, Paul," I grumbled, and he chuckled. He started to walk, and I played with his hair. "Paul, have you ever worn heels?"

"Can't say that I have, Cass," Paul said.

"Good. Don't _ever_ wear them. And don't let people pressure you to. You won't let them, will you?"

"No, Cassie. I won't let them pressure me wearing them."

"You better not," I lectured. "Promise me you won't, 'cause I won't be able to carry you when you hurt yourself wearing them."

"I do so solemnly swear that I will never get near a pair of high heels," Paul said, holding back a laugh. I rested my head between his shoulder blades, smiling.

"Good."

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**END**

**So, please review! **

**I WILL LOVE YOU FOREVER. :D  
**


	23. Chapter Twenty Three

**Author's Note**

**'Sup guys? Finally replaced that awful author's note...**

**So, straight to the point: yet _another_ chapter I really don't like! It's just so..._blah_ compared to the others. But, I had to introduce the people Cassie will get to know at the college campus, and I had to introduce an antagonist! I'm not letting Cassie off so easily in this story. Tough love. Yup.**

**Lastly, I really loved the reviews I got for the Author's Note and the new reviews for old chapters! They were all really sweet and I really enjoyed them. But, fair warning, I'm going to post some descriptions down at the bottom of the newcomers. So:**

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Twilight.  
**

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**College**

"Are you sure you have to go?" Paul whined, and I rolled my eyes.

"Yes, Paul," I said, placing a pack of paper into the rings of my binder. Paul pouted, lying back on my bed.

"Are you sure?" he asked again. I sighed, snapping the rings shut.

"Paul, the college is only _fifteen minutes away_. I won't be gone for long; maybe a couple of hours at the most, and then I'll head straight back here."

"A lot can happen in fifteen minutes," Paul argued.

"Nothing bad is going to happen, Paul. I'll have Al with me," I pointed out, and he snorted. "What's your point, Paul?"

"Easy: don't go to college," he said easily, looking quite satisfied with himself. I looked at him disbelievingly, raising both of my eyebrows.

"Paul," I said slowly. "I have to go to college if I want a _good job_. And with a _good job_, I can support myself."

"I can support you," Paul said stubbornly, almost childishly. I scoffed, and Paul narrowed his eyes at me.

"What brought all of this on?" I asked him tersely, watching as his expression turned guarded.

"Nothing," he replied shadily. I glared at his defensive face for a moment before giving up, and returned to making sure I had everything for my classes tomorrow. It was quiet as I shoved my supplies into my bag, making sure to be careful so that I didn't damage the textbooks in my irritation.

"Cass? Are you mad at me?" Paul asked quietly, sounding like a lost child. I looked at his pouting face and smiled slightly.

"No, Paul, I'm not mad at you," I assured. A smile of relief brightened his face. There was silence as I resumed packing.

"…Are you sure you have to g—"

"_Paul_!"

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"Cass, you ready?" Al asked, and I nodded. Off to the side, the guys were pouting petulantly, especially Paul and Embry. Al giggled, reaching up to kiss Embry's jutting lower lip, and smiled radiantly at him. My eye twitched slightly as I looked to Paul. I could see the hopeful glint in his eye that I would have to crush.

I walked over to him, wrapping my arms around his waist in a friendly manner. "Bye, Paul!" I said cheerfully. I tried to pull back, but Paul had me fastened tightly to him. I braced my hands against him, using all of my strength to escape his grasp. He didn't let go, and I banged on his chest with tiny fists. "Paul! You ape! Let! Me! GO!" I yelled as the guys watched, laughing and not even bothering to lift a finger to help me out of the crushing embrace Paul had over me.

"Paul! I will castrate you with a rusty spoon if you do not _let me go_!" I threatened shrilly. Paul looked down at my serious eyes, and he reluctantly withdrew his arms. I huffed indignantly, smoothing out the wrinkles in my clothes. Al patted my head and I glared at her.

"It's okay, Cassie," she said, trying to smother her giggles. I smacked her hand away from my hair, trying unsuccessfully to wipe the childish pout off my face.

Quil sighed loudly, wrapping his arms around Embry and Paul. "Don't worry, boys. I remember the first time when my Claire-Bear went to school. It wasn't easy, especially when the boys would want to mix their play-doh in hers, if you catch my drift—Ow!" Paul and Embry punched Quil in the gut, both faces pulled down in varying degrees of irritation and fury.

"Oh! Would you look at the time!" I exclaimed loudly. "Come on, Al. I don't want to be the last one to class." I grabbed her arm and dragged her out of the house. She hollered her goodbyes, waving hastily as the porch rapidly filled with the guys.

"Bye! Bye guys! We'll see you later!" Al cried, digging her heels into the ground as I pulled her towards the car. I opened the door to the passenger side and pushed Al into it, shutting the door behind her quickly. I ran to the other side of the car and hopped in, locking the doors so she couldn't escape. I put the car in reverse, watching in my rearview mirror to make sure I didn't hit anything.

As I was driving down the road, Al finally settled down in her seat. She was smiling largely at me as she fiddled with the radio station, stopping when it hit Kiss FM. Chris Brown filled the car, and I resisted rolling my eyes.

"I can't believe he hit Rihanna. Can you?" she asked, bobbing her head to the beat.

"Al, I couldn't care less about either of them. Could you please turn that crap off?" I sighed exasperatedly. I was nervous about going to college, as silly as it was. Al was used to it since she had been going since August, and I envied her. While she was off drinking cappuccinos in the local cafés, I was stuck recuperating at the house.

With a grumble, Al flipped off the music. The car was silent as I drove it down the roads, thankful for the peace and quiet. Al tapped her fingers on her thigh, looking out the window with a bored expression on her face. "Cass?" she asked. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah. Why would you ask?" I asked, and Al chuckled.

"You keep humming and you only do that when you're _really_ nervous," she pointed out, and I scowled. I hadn't even noticed I was humming.

"I'm just a _little_ nervous," I emphasized stubbornly.

"Whatever you say, Cass," she teased, grinning. I stuck my tongue out at her and pressed down on the gas pedal as the stoplight flashed green.

"So…is it big?" I asked offhandedly, guiding the car along the road.

"No," she said, and I smiled in relief. "It's _huge_." I veered out of the lane just a little. I gripped the steering wheel tightly and eased myself back in as Al laughed loudly. "I'm just kidding!" she snickered. "It's small, Cass. But, oh my God! You should have _seen your face_!"

I smacked her. "Yeah, yeah. Make fun of me if you want, but just remember: I know where you sleep at night."

"Oh, please. You wouldn't dare to hurt me," Al said confidently.

"So you think," I said mysteriously, trying to wipe the smile off my face.

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"We're here!" Al cried. I rolled my eyes at her playfully.

"Way to point out the obvious, Ally," I teased, punching her shoulder. I grabbed my bag from the back and stepped out the car. Al took my hand and yanked me towards a little building off to the side, chattering away excitedly.

"I wonder if we'll have any classes together?" she asked to nobody in particular.

"I think that's highly unlikely," I said. "Seeing as how you want to major in fashion and I want to major in journalism."

"Ah, but you can major in journalism for a _fashion magazine_," she said. "And then we'll be together forever!"

"Oh, gee. I've always wanted to spend the rest of my life with you Al," I said sarcastically, and Al thumped me.

"Oh shut up, you little grump," she laughed as I rubbed the red mark on my forehead. "Now, hurry up so we can get those damn forms!" Al dragged me harder as she picked up her pace, and I had to run just to keep up with her.

Once we got to the little office, Al swung the door open in her excitement, causing a few civilians to jump. At the front desk, a woman regarded us with thin lips, peering over her glasses at us condescendingly.

"Hi!" Al greeted the woman cheerfully. "Cassidy Barker right here needs her schedule!" The woman glared at Al's sunny face, and sighed in irritation.

"Cassidy Barker," she sneered my name. "Coming _right up_." I watched in bewilderment as she all but slammed back her chair and stormed over to a pair of filing cabinets. The woman wrenched them open and roughly smashed files away as she looked for my schedule. I looked to Al, who was smiling in amusement as the woman growled in satisfaction as she found it.

"Here," she snapped, pushing the papers at me. "That's your map and that right there is your schedule. Now, if you have any questions, please, _do hesitate to ask me_." I cautiously took the papers from her hand, like I would if I were trying to approach a ravenous lion. She scowled at me as I took them from her claw-like hands and hastily made my way out of the hellhole with as much dignity as I could muster.

"Wow," Al hooted from behind me. "Someone must've had a second helping of her bitch flakes this morning!"

"Is she _always_ like that?" I asked.

"Well, I've only seen her once before, and if grinding your teeth and growling like a rabid dog at anyone who passed is any indication, then yes," she joked. I chuckled, imagining her on a leash like a rabid dog, straining to bite the nearest student.

"That's the spirit!" Al said, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. "Now, I want to introduce you to some of my peeps. That okay with you?"

"Sure," I agreed.

Today was sunny, very unlike the rainy days I remember. Students wandered around the campus grounds, sitting around and soaking up the sunrays. They were in large groups that were randomly placed on the ground. Al was walking us towards one of the smaller groups that sat under a large tree, and I was instantly glad.

"Hey guys!" Al greeted jovially. Five heads simultaneously turned towards our direction. Their expressions ranged from eager and curious. One of them stood up—a boy with unnatural burgundy hair—and grabbed the both of us in a fierce hug.

"Al!" he greeted back, grinning largely. "You've brought us some fresh meat, eh? She's kind of small, though. I don't see how we can divide her equally…"

"Cassie, this weirdo is Brian. Brian, this is Cassie," Al introduced, rolling her eyes at me playfully. Brian lit up and took my hand, pumping it enthusiastically.

"So you're _the_ Cassie?" he asked. "I've heard so much about you! Al wouldn't shut up about you! Well, she never really does shut up, though I'm pretty sure you already knew that—"

"How are you going to talk about the girl right in front of her?" The lighthearted indignant voice came from one of the other girls in the group. She sat with her back against the tree, her long ebony hair swaying in the slight breeze.

Brian turned to me, eyes rolling. "That's Tara, a.k.a. The Bitch Who Tells It How It Is, or so she calls herself. But, don't listen to her; nobody likes her—Ow! Dammit, Tara! That _hurts_!" The girl, Tara, had gotten up to twist his arm roughly behind his back. Brian was dancing around on his toes to try and maneuver out of her tight grip, but he only yelled out in pain.

"Ugh, you two are _so_ juvenile," another from the group scoffed, flicking back her hair in an irritated motion. I turned to see Al rolling her eyes in disdain, and Tara doing the same.

"That thing over there," Tara motioned to the glowering girl. "Is Melanie. But don't pay any attention to her. I'm surprised she even knew what 'juvenile' meant."

"Oh, _ha ha_," Melanie sneered. She stood up, flicking her hair again, and grabbed her expensive looking bag from the ground. "When you gather up a decent enough apology, you can find me at the library."

"Why would you go to the library if you can't read?" Tara retorted hotly. Melanie glared at her for a moment before her eyes landed on me.

"What is she supposed to be? My _replacement_?" she spat nastily, looking me up and down condescendingly. Al shifted so that she was blocking me from her sight in a protective gesture.

"Don't you need to be somewhere?" Al asked callously. "You wouldn't want to be late giving your professor a blow job for that 'A', would you?" It was quiet for a moment, and I could hear Melanie's indignant huffs as she tried to gather a good comeback. But after a few seconds, she let out a frustrated growl.

"Whatever," she snarled, pushing past Al and I and walked to where I presumed the library was located. Brian made a noise in the back of his throat, snapping his fingers and bobbing his head.

"Mm hm," he said. "You go girl, and don't you come back!" Al smacked his shoulder, chuckling. Brian wiggled his hips around at her suggestively, making her laugh loudly.

"Yeah, that's right," Brian said. "You don't want any of this hot action!"

"You're right; we _don't_," I teased.

"Oo! Burn!" Tara mocked, holding her hand high in the air for me to high-five. I had to stretch a little, but I got it, much to Brian's glee.

We sat down under the tree, and Tara took it upon herself to introduce everyone. "Okay, as you know, I'm Tara and that's Brian. These two," she said, gesturing to a shy looking girl and a quiet boy. "Are Janine and Mitch. I'm guessing you know which is which, right? Right."

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As I sat and conversed with the group, I came to learn quite a couple of things about each individual: Janine was quiet and very rarely gave her input unless Tara gave her a nudge. Tara herself has known Janine since they were little, and likes to call her 'Janie'. Brian was the oddball of the group, and loved the attention he drew to himself. I even learned that he sometimes liked to dress up in girl's clothing just to attract attention. Mitch was Melanie's older cousin, but didn't snub anybody in the group like she did. He was nice, but not exuberant about it like Brian or Tara was. Like Janine, he kept to himself.

The bell rang, signaling for us to go to class. Janine stood up to wait for me—she was majoring in journalism like I was, and I was happy to have someone to show me around to my classes. She smiled shyly at me, and I smiled back.

"Where to, new buddy?"

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**Last minute decision, I'll just post these description for the AN after this chapter. [It's just a reminder that I will take down after a day or two. No worries.]**

**So, review, and I'll somehow try to incorporate Paul the Seducer next chapter!  
**


	24. Chapter Twenty Four

**Author's Note**

**OK, really short chapter. BUT, I do need to explain something:  
I know you guys noticed how...infrequent these updates have been, right? Well, I'm having a tough time trying to find the time to write these chapter's. SO, I'm going to take a mild break from updating until I either a) finished the story or b)accumulated enough chapters to occupy you guys until I finish.**

**But, I do have a one-shot up of [PAUSE]...Emmett! It's a crack-fic, but I like it. It should be up when you guys read this. So, why not check it out?**

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Twilight!  
**

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I grumbled to myself as I parked the car into Emily's driveway. Al had called Embry to pick her up from the campus and had forgotten to call and tell me until after a whole hour of searching the grounds for her. The nerve! When I stepped out of the car, I could make out the sound of hammers pounding in the backyard. I screwed my eyebrows up in confusion, but immediately banished my curiosity. At Emily's, sometimes it was better if you just left it alone.

I walked into the cozy house, rather surprised when I didn't hear the familiar buzz that always emitted from the kitchen. Warily, I entered the kitchen to see Emily, Kim, Claire, Nessie, and Al surrounding the glass window and giggling madly.

"Oh my God!" Claire squealed. "Did you _see Quil_?!"

Al snorted. "Forget him! Have you _seen_ Embry? He is way—"

"Oh, please!" Kim scoffed. "You girls obviously don't have eyes! If you did, you guys would be too busy ogling Jared to even notice those amateurs!"

"_Jared_? Are you kidding us? Jake is _clearly _the best looking one out there!" Nessie proclaimed, prompting a shouting match between the girls until Emily signaled for silence.

"Girls, girls," she scolded lightly. "You shouldn't be fighting who looks the best! You should be ashamed of yourselves," Emily huffed indignantly, and the girls looked down at the floor abashedly. Emily grinned, a mischievous sparkle in her eyes. "Besides, Sam is without a doubt the best looking one!" There was a chorus of high giggles as I stared in bafflement from the entry.

"Uh, what's going on in here?" I asked, not quite sure if I wanted to know or not. Al turned her head slightly, not giving up her view of the window but turning just enough to acknowledge me.

"The guys…!" she squealed, wiggling her hips excitedly. There was another round of giggles as the gawked at the windows, and I rolled my eyes.

"What's so interesting about them?"

"Come and see, silly!" Nessie said, scooting over to make room for me so I could have a view. With a resigned sigh, I stepped over to the window and peered out. At first, all I could see was wood _everywhere_, and pieces of grass uprooted and scattered in random directions. The shed that had once stood in the back of the yard was destroyed and decimated; it looked like someone had bombed it to smithereens. But then I noticed the guys, or to be exact, Paul.

He was shirtless, and the sun made his body gleam with sweat. His muscles flexed as he hammered down some wood—to make a new shed, I vaguely thought. But I was too mesmerized to really give a damn.

Paul's biceps were _huge_, and his back muscles flexed under my gaze. I looked up for a moment to see his laughing eyes gazing back at me, a cocky grin plastered to his face. I tried to scowl at him, but I probably looked more like a gawking fish. He turned back around to his task, but I could see his shoulders shaking slightly, and I knew he was laughing at me.

Slowly, reluctantly, I tore my eyes from his sweaty perfection. I met the glazed over eyes of the girls as they grinned at my red face.

"Hot sweaty goodness," I squeaked, making my face go even redder.

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I was sitting on the living room couch, shoveling ice-cold icecream into my mouth. My face was still pink from earlier, and I wanted the stupid blush to go away.

_Okay, think granny panties…Now think of the summer when gramps went shirtless to the beach…_I felt nauseous already, and my face was cooling down finally. My gramps shirtless really worked on me. I might even have to send him a thank-you card.

"Is this seat taken?" came a husky voice. My spoon froze halfway in the air and I barely contained a terrified whimper. Slowly, I looked up to see the still shirtless Paul looming over me, smiling down at me innocently. I nodded my head dumbly, and he chuckled quietly. "Really? I don't _see_ anyone," he said, looking around the room. My face glowed red at my idiocy, but I still didn't want him to sit by me.

"Al's coming in a minute," I lied lamely. Paul looked down at me, a sly smile on his face.

"Nah, I don't think she will," he said off-handedly, smirking. "She looked pretty comfortable on Embry's lap in the kitchen. So, it looks like we have the couch _all to ourselves_." I watched in horror as he eased himself down beside me, grinning.

"Is that icecream?" he asked interestedly, and I nodded fearfully. Paul beamed at me, and slowly sliding his finger across the rim of the bowl. I gaped as he brought his finger to his mouth and licked off the melted icecream. He let out a groan of satisfaction, grinning at me. "That was tasty. Say, can I have the rest of your icecream?"

My face burned hotly as I shoved the icecream bowl into his hands. I scooted onto the far side of the couch so that I could get away from him. Now I understood what the girls meant when they talked about _seductive Paul_!

Paul pouted at me. "Why are you all the way over there?" he asked me. "Why don't you come back to this side?" I shook my head vehemently as he grinned impishly at me. He set the bowl down onto the coffee table and slowly inched closer to me.

"What's wrong, my angel?" Paul asked softly. My face boiled when I felt his hot hand enclose around my hand. He smiled disarmingly at me, his lips getting closer to mine. Paul brought up his other hand to cup my face, tracing my lower lips with his thumb. Involuntarily, my eyes fluttered closed and my breath came faster. I could envision him smiling triumphantly, something I knew he was doing at that instant, but couldn't bring myself to feel rightfully indignant. All I wanted was to feel his lips on mine, just like the old times…

"Oo! Sex-ay!" Tommy said, snapping his fingers. I jolted back from Paul and stared wide-eyed at the smirking Leah and the leering Tommy. I could hear Paul growl, cussing under his breath.

"And what were you two doing, exactly?" Leah inquired, smiling mischievously. I stuttered uselessly, my cheeks testifying my guilt.

"None of your business, Leah," Paul snarled. Leah only chuckled and wrapped an arm around Tommy's waist.

"Sure, sure," she said. "_None of my business_. C'mon, Tommy. Let's go see what Emily is cooking." Tommy grinned, winking largely at me before following Leah into the kitchen. There were large laughs in there, and I blushed even more. I disentangled myself from Paul, standing up on my wobbly legs.

"Wait! Where are you going?" Paul asked, and I smiled slightly.

"Um, I'm just going to go home. Big test coming up. Yep. Tell the rest of the gang I said bye," I said, making my quickly out the door. Boy, I was in _deep shit_.

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**I feel terrible for submitting this terrible chapter, but things will pick up and the chapters WILL BE LONGER. So, review please!**


	25. Chapter Twenty Five

**Author's Note**

**I've lied! This chapter isn't as long as I wanted it to be! Gah! Shame on me! **

**So, not a lot of people read my one-shot of Emmett [or, not as many as I hoped.]. But I did get seven reviews, which I loved! [Aside from the fact that one person didn't like it, six other marvelous readers thought it was hilarious.] I would also like to thank all of those who reviewed the last chapter, new and old readers.  
**

**But, kind of short chapter [forgive me!]. Please go on and read!**

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Twilight.  
**

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"Stop it," I whined, batting at Brian's fingers. He pouted at me, trying uselessly to penetrate my shield of textbooks.

"C'mon, Cass," Brian whined back. "I want to see how ticklish you are!" I squeaked as his hand came dangerously close to prodding my sensitive side. I smacked his persistent hands with a folder, smirking as he flinched.

"Give the poor girl a break, Bri," Mitch said flatly, flicking through his textbook. Brian wrinkled up his nose at him and stuck out his tongue.

"Your opinion doesn't _count_. Now, if you would just drop the book and help me in my conquest to discover where this munchkin is ticklish—"

"No." Mitchell's answer was short and abrupt, and Tara smacked him.

"Be nice to the poor gender confused civilian!" she scolded, giving Brian yet another once-over. She wasn't kidding when she called Brian gender confused; he was wearing his short hair in little ribboned pigtails and was wearing a ridiculously tight tube top that looked like it came straight out of Paris Hilton's closet. Luckily, he forgot to put on a skirt this morning, and I was spared from seeing such a travesty.

Brian snorted, snapping his fingers. "Girl, you know how I do it!"

"Yep: from behind," Tara quipped. Mitchell snorted a laugh and Janine giggled behind her copy of Shakespeare. Brian mashed his lips into a prim line. He opened his mouth to let out a retort when the bell rang, signaling for us to go to class. Brian sent one last withering glare at Tara before flouncing off to drama class.

Mitchell stood up, brushing bits of grass and dirt off of his pants. He nodded his parting to us before walking off in the opposite direction. It wasn't really his style to get caught up in greetings and partings. Tara rolled her eyes.

"Can't that boy ever show his emotions?" she asked to no one in particular. I helped Janine up from the ground, pulling her up. She dusted her skirt and leggings, raking her fingers through her thick curls.

I nudged Al's sleeping body with my boot. Her soft snores halted for a moment before picking back up again. I heard the two girls titter as I nudged her again, harder this time. Al grunted, opening one eye to peer lazily up at us.

"Mm?" she mumbled sleepily.

"Time to get to class, lazyass," Tara teased, amused by her rhyme. Al sighed loudly, getting to her feet none too gracefully. She mumbled something, sounding suspiciously like 'midget' and 'pushy bitches'. Tara rolled her eyes playfully.

Janine smiled shyly at me. "Ready to go to Mr. Collin's?"

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"Good afternoon, students and future journalists," Mr. Collin said, eyes roaming the numerous faces of my classmates. His sharp eyes narrowed as he continued. "I regret that I was not present last week so that we could go over the class syllabus. But, seeing as I am back, we may go over it and I will answer any of your questions."

Mr. Collin pulled a pair of reading glasses from his shirt pocket, flicking them open and placed them on the perch of his nose. He held a white sheet in front of him and spoke, "In this class, you will learn the _Fundamentals of Journalism_. As students in this class, you will develop the ability to write quickly, accurately, clearly, concisely and grammatically, on deadline, on any topic, amid typical workplace distractions. In journalism, punctuality is of immense importance, and we have no time for dilly-dallying, so—yes, Miss Cossack?" A girl with short, dirty blond hair had her hand raised.

"Mr. Collin," she inquired. "When you say 'any topic', do you really mean that? Or are you referring to the fact that we have a broad variety of subjects, while some are just…too sensitive to write an article on?" Mr. Collin leaned back on his desk, appraising the young girl.

"Miss Cossack, when I say 'any topic', I mean just that. Journalism isn't a walk in the park on a bright, sunshiny day; it can be ruthless, and quite a dirty job. As journalists, it's our job to inform the public of what is happening in the world, whether it be good or bad. In our writing, we don't exaggerate the news; save that for the underhanded writers who work for _People_ and _OK!_ magazines. We give it to the people just as it is. Now, does anyone else have any more questions that they would like to ask?" Everyone sat stock still under his scrupulous gaze as they ran us over again. After a moment, he nodded his head rigidly.

"Good. Next, you will also learn develop an understanding of the diverse nature of sources and information that go into news stories…"

For the next hour and a half, we were drilled on what was expected of us, and supplies that were needed for the class. When the bell rang, Mr. Collin dismissed us. I stood up from the group table, stretching my sore limbs. Janine smiled wryly at me.

"Well, that was quite interesting, wasn't it?" she asked, and I chuckled.

"Intimidating, more like," I said. "Is it me, or is journalism a widely pursued career?"

Janine grinned, edging past a crowd of grumbling classmates. "At first, but after the first week or so, the class always thin out exceptionally. Half of those people," she said, jerking her head back at the sullen crowd. "Probably won't even bother showing up for the next class now that they know journalism isn't as glamorous as they were lead to believe."

"So…are you going to stick with this class?" I asked. Janine blinked at me for a moment before throwing her head back and uncharacteristically laughing loudly.

"Of course!" she exclaimed. "Where else would I go? _Fashion 101_?" Janine asked incredulously.

"Good, because I'm going to need a friend to protect me from the dragon that is widely known as Mr. Collin," I teased, slinging an arm carelessly over her shoulders. Janine's smile dissipated and was replaced with a dubious expression.

"Friends?" she asked. "You want to be friends with me?" I frowned at her tone.

"Sure I do," I said, thumping her arm lightly. "Why wouldn't I?" But Janine just shook her head, smiling. She reciprocated my friendly gesture and threw her arm around my shoulders.

"Where to next, friend?" Janine asked, eyes shining.

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Back at Emily's, I sighed in annoyance as the guys took over the conversation.

"Like, _O_-_M_-_G_!" Quil huffed at me, hands on hips. "Why didn't you tell your Momma Quil your birthday was coming up?!" Paul looked at me, looking a little hurt that I hadn't told him.

"Your birthday's coming up?" he asked. I nodded at him. Quil growled at me, his chest rumbling in indignation as he regarded my bored expression.

"Cassie, we've known each other for, like, _ever_, and you don't have the balls to tell me that your _nineteenth birthday is coming up_? I ask you all now, where is the trust?!"

Seth turned to me, looking at me warily. "Cassie, you don't have, you know, the family jewels down there, do ya?" Paul smacked the back of his head, snarling threateningly.

"Seth! We do not have time for your sexual explorations!" Quil yelled. "Now, back to Cassie and I, thank you: Cassie! This travesty will not be so easily forgiven. But, with that aside, we have a party to plan!" I laughed, shaking my head.

"No party," I said. Quil groaned, stomping his feet like a two-year old in a temper tantrum.

"And why _not_?" he whined.

"Because," I said. "I'd prefer just to stay home and not wake up the next morning with a head ache the size of Tokyo!" Quil was about to object, but I cut him off. "Plus, I've already planned to have dinner with my parents, thank you very much."

"Can't you just have dinner at their place first and then come over to the party?" Tommy asked from the couch, and I could have strangled him when I saw Quil's eyes light up in glee.

"Tommy, my man!" he cried. "I always knew I loved you! Move over Leah, with your fat ass!" Quil pushed her off of Tommy's lap and took her spot.

"Dude! You're _heavy_!" Tommy said, trying in vain to push Quil off. I took in a little bit of comfort in the fact that Tommy would most likely have two broken thighbones and that the party would be canceled. Or, at least, that was what I hoped.

…Fat chance.

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**Alrighty! So, Janine is becoming more comfortable around Cassie! I apologize if Janine came off to...what's the word I'm looking for?...Pathetic? [Not necessarily that. I mean just that how she reacted when Cassie proposed friendship.] Janine hasn't had a lot of friends in her life, so she's rather touched that Cassie wants to be friends. So, ta da! I also loved Mr. Collin's part. Those big words made me feel so smart.  
**

**Oh yeah! A party is coming up! And, Paul's sweet side will be exposed. -wink wink- But don't think I have forgotten about the DRAMA. Oh yeah. More to come.  
**

**So, please boost my ego to an unhealthy proportion and review!  
**


	26. Chapter Twenty Six

**Author's Note**

**Sat down for three hours to finish this, and now I have to use the bathroom like hell. So, please enjoy and review! Don't let my efforts and busted bladder be in vain!  
**

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Twilight; only my odd assortment of OCs.  
**

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"So, do you guys want to come?" Al asked, and I prayed that they would decline. _No thanks. We've got a big test coming up that we need to study for. Sorry!_, was the reply that my ears were itching to hear. But, as fate would have it, I got the exact opposite.

"Totally!" Brian said, beaming. "Just tell us when and where!"

As Al gave out the information, I mentally cursed Quil and his crazy hormones. I didn't know exactly what he was planning; all I knew was that it was going to be held down at the beach and it was going to be big, despite that I told Quil on numerous occasions that I just wanted a small, quiet party.

"Is it going to be big?" Janine asked, grimacing lightly. I nodded sadly.

"What's going to be big?" a voice sniffed. Tara scowled as Melanie dropped her books unceremoniously onto the ground, gracefully folding herself onto the grass.

"Cassie's birthday party," Mitchell said tonelessly, flipping a page in his textbook. Melanie turned her shrewd gaze onto me, narrowing her eyes into mine.

"Oh?" she asked. "When is it going to be…held?" I opened my mouth to tell her to mind her own business when Brian spoke over me.

"This Friday at First Beach," he said, so cheerfully I could have choked him. Melanie smiled at me—not kindly, but something that resembled the pure essence of evil.

"Well, I guess I'll be seeing you then?" Melanie said, not really asking, and I could only glare at her. After Melanie left, everyone in the group turned to glower menacingly at Brian.

"…What?" Brian asked innocently.

"You just invited the spawn of satan to the party!" Tara ground out. Brian huffed, putting both hands in the air in protest.

"Hey. I only told her when and where it was going to be. I, on no grounds, invited her to join us. Please. If anything, she invited herself," Brian said reasonably. I buried my head into my backpack, groaning softly. Janine patted my hair soothingly.

"Maybe it won't be all that bad, Cassie," Janine assured me. "Maybe she'll be…slightly pleasant for once." As good as that sounded, and as much I wished it would happen, I knew it wouldn't go down like that.

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I sat at my parents' dining table, shoveling around a sliver of cake on my plate with the prongs of the fork I was currently using. My parents were currently bickering over—you guessed it—grandchildren.

"Tara, Cassie is _not_ going to give you fifteen grandchildren by the end of next year! It's practically impossible!" my father disputed emphatically. My mother rolled her eyes at him.

"She will if I say she will!" she growled. "Plus, since she'll be active with her boyfriend, it's _very probable_! You know how women on my side have always been very fertile!" I gagged on my cake as they carried on their very heated debate.

My dad's eyes bugged. "Cassidy broke up with Paul," he ground out. "She's not dating anyone, so the only way you could get grandchildren so quickly is if she, God forbid, started working the streets!"

"Maxwell!" Mom scolded. "Don't _say_ such things! Why, look! You hurt your daughter's feelings!" She pointed to me as I struggled to swallow the cake I was choking on.

"I didn't hurt her feelings! She's feeling oppressed because her tyrant of a mother is forcing her to turn into a baby making machine!" Dad fought back.

As they squabbled, I pounded on my chest, trying to dislodge that pesky cake. But of course, my parents were too busy feuding to notice that I was, in fact, probably dying. I briefly wondered if they would even notice I was dead when they stopped fighting…

Finally, with one hard pound, the cake displaced itself and moved easily down to my stomach. I breathed heavily, trying to intake as much air as possible. When I caught my breath, I looked up to see my parents looking at me oddly.

"I was choking on my cake," I clarified, a little embarrassedly. My mom raised an eyebrow at me.

"Honey, that's silly," she said. "Why on earth would you do that?"

"Because her mother is _oppressing her_!" my father barked, which brought on another round of squabbling. I slunk down in my chair and pressed the bridge of my nose between my index finger and thumb. This was going to be a _long_ night.

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"Bye, honey! Have a good time at your party!" my mom called as I started to pull out of the driveway.

"Not too much fun!" My dad yelled, and I could see my mom smacking him from my rearview mirror. As I drove down the streets, I contemplated what lie in front of me. Quil had been awfully shady about the whole thing, and I knew, paired up with Tommy, that he was up to no good. I had seen Paul cast me sympathetic looks, and I groaned, thinking that it confirmed my suspicions. Yes, despite my wishes, Quil was going to make the party huge.

Fifteen minutes later, I arrived at First Beach, wincing when I heard the loud music playing down by the bonfire. Hesitantly, I stepped out of the safe confines of my car and headed down the boardwalk to the sandy beach.

"Cassie, baby!" Quil boomed as I arrived by one of the snack tables, wrapping a sweltering arm around my shoulders. "Is this party beastin' or what!"

"I think I'll opt for the 'or what'," I said wryly, eyeing the array critically. There were tons of people dancing and laughing, most of which I didn't recognize. There were _Happy Birthday!_ banners posted everywhere with hordes of balloons. And there were literally dozens of tables filled to the brim with food. I was surprised that they didn't buckle and break under all of the weight.

"Have you seen Paul?" I asked, hoping I didn't sound too pathetic. It was just that I needed to see a familiar face, and he just seemed like the one who could understand me most. Quil grinned largely at me, nodding his head.

"Yeah. Last I seen him, he had been hanging around in the shade, trying to get rid of his nerves." I looked at Quil strangely, but he didn't say anything else, but just nodded to where he had last seen Paul with a mischievous smile.

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I searched for twenty minutes and couldn't find a trace of Paul. I sighed quietly and headed back to the bonfire. He'd show up later; there was plenty of time to talk.

The fire was blazing high in the sky, casting everybody in a bright orange glow. I spotted Tara getting herself a drink, scowling at a pair of drunken heathens. Feeling ultimately relieved, I quickly made my way to her and, without warning, I pounced on her, hugging her tightly.

"What the fu—Cassie! You scared me!" Tara scolded, her scowl dissipating into a teasing smile.

"I tend to have that effect on people," I joked lightly, releasing her from my death grip. "How long have you been here?" I asked, only to see the scowl come back on her face.

"Long enough to nearly get puked on, get somebody's drink spilled on my chest—which I have a feeling wasn't a _total_ accident, and to get my ass squeezed like it was one of Janine's stress-relief balls. So, _not really that long_." Tara huffed indignantly, crossing her arms over her chest. I chuckled, giving her another hug.

"It's okay," I comforted. "It could always be worse." Tara grumbled quietly to herself, but otherwise didn't protest. "Come on, why don't you show me where the rest of the gang is?" I suggested, taking her arm and letting her lead me away from the table. She guided towards the edge of the woods where I could make out silhouettes in the darkness. As we got closer, I could make out the faces of an irritated Mitchell trying to calm down a drunk Brian.

"Yaaaargh! I be J—," Brian hiccupped loudly. "Jack S-Sparrow of the high S-Seven Seas! Drink up, me hardies! Yo hooooooo!"

"Dammit, Brian!" Mitchell cursed, reaching to restrain the drunken fiend as he tried to do the dosey-do with him. Finally, Mitch just wrapped both arms around Brian, pinning his flailing limbs to his sides. Brian was quiet a moment before he looked into Mitch's eyes with a suspicious frown.

"Y-You have the hots for me, don't y-ya?" Brian stuttered, placing both hands on Mitch's chest. Mitchell's eye twitched as he flinched back from Brian's touch.

"Happy birthday to me…happy birthday to me…" I sang, grinning wickedly as Brian tried to place a kiss onto Mitch's reluctant mouth. It was always a good gift to see some yaoi up close and personal.

"Don't be afraid to slip in some tongue!" Tara cheered beside me, hooting as Mitch turned on heel and made a dash for the parking lot. Drunk Brian, undeterred, skipped after him, slurring his name as he called.

"C-Come on!" Brian called. "D-Don't you want to be my E-Elizabeth?"

Tara and I watched amusedly as Mitchell was assaulted by Brian, his cries for help drowned out by the loud music that was playing. Smiling happily, I turned to Tara.

"Where's the rest of the group?" I asked.

"Al went off to make-out with her boyfriend—by the way, she says happy birthday; Janine couldn't make it because her parents wanted her to watch her little brother since their babysitter flaked on them, and last I saw Melanie, she was chasing after some ex-boyfriend," Tara said, rolling her eyes. While it was annoying that Melanie was here at the party, it wasn't a bad thing that she was off chasing one of loser ex-boyfriends. In fact, it meant she couldn't _possibly_ mess up my evening!

"That's great!" I said cheerfully, receiving an odd look from Tara. "Hey, why don't we go check out the bonfire?"

Tara shrugged her shoulders. "Sure, but I don't think I'm gonna stay much longer."

"Yeah," I agreed. "Me neither." Quil would understand, and I'd see the rest of the gang later. Together, we walked across the sandy beach over to the blaze. I could see Seth, Jake and Quil forking down hotdogs, and the girls were sitting in a neat little circle, tittering over something. Still no sign of Paul.

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After a full hour of torture, Tara had called it a night and left to go home. Yet, I still waited around for some sign of Paul, feeling just a little anxious. Something plopped down onto the sand beside me, and I turned to see a smiling Al.

"'Sup, birthday girl?" she asked, giving me a one-armed hug. I hugged her back, grinning as I took in her swollen lips.

"Is that a _hickey_ I spy?" I teased, pointing to the dark spot on her neck. Al gave an embarrassed chuckle, rubbing at it self-consciously.

"No, it's the plague," she muttered sarcastically, and I laughed. "So, has Paul talked to you yet?" Al asked conversationally. I blinked slowly, confused.

"Was he supposed to talk to me?" I asked dubiously, causing Al to groan loudly.

"Ugh," she moaned. "He's acting like a total _spaz_!" Al flopped onto her back, glowering at the sky. I leaned back to look her in the eyes.

"Allison," I said seriously. "What is he supposed to talk to me about?" Al flopped onto her side to stare back at me, a slight pout on her lips.

"Embry will kill me if I told you," she grumbled. "But Paul—"

"Al!" Embry called, striding towards us quickly. He fixed a stern gaze on her, shaking his head slightly. Al winced slightly and turned away from his severe stare. Embry turn towards me, "Paul wants to talk to you in a minute," he said, sounding very tired. Before I could say anything, Embry had Al cradled in his arms and was toting her away from me, ignoring her threats and yells. I could only gape after them, not sure what to do.

I glowered nastily down at the ground before standing up. Suddenly, I couldn't care less if Paul wanted to talk with me, or if Quil would be upset that I hadn't done anything at the party. I was tired, and I needed to go home and just sleep it off. If Paul really wanted to talk to me, he could tell me later.

Muttering obscenities, I made my way through the thick crowd, neatly dodging sharp elbows and gangly limbs as they danced to the music. I could see Seth chugging down a liter of soda as I passed, people crowding around him and cheering.

"Seth! Seth! Seth! Seth!…" The sound nearly made me smile, but I was in too bad of a mood.

The sounds of the party faded as I approached the dark parking lot, squinting my eyes to locate my car. Blindly, I felt my way around, trying to remember where I had parked it.

"Come on. You know you want to…" I heard a familiar voice say seductively, and I wrinkled my nose. I really didn't want to hear two people get at it while I was searching for my car.

"Melanie, just back off," Paul ground out. My eyes widened, and I searched the dark to find him. There was a light scoff, and a bit of shuffling.

"Paul," Melanie said sulkily. "Come on. We can go to my place, if that's how you want it—"

"No, _Melanie_," Paul spat. "That's not how 'I want it'. I don't want 'it', especially if it's coming from _you_."

Melanie snorted. "Yeah, sure. That wasn't what you were saying a few months ago, for crying out loud! Good God, Paul. What's _wrong_ with you?" There was more shuffling, and a warning growl from Paul. I strained my eyes to find the two.

"Why can't you just take the hint that _I don't want you_?" Paul snarled.

"Is this about that Chelsea chick?" Melanie sniffed, and there was another growl.

"Her name's _Cassie_," he seethed.

"Yeah, _whatever_. I don't even know what you see her, anyway. My God, she doesn't even have _breasts_!" I cringed slightly from the low blow, but happy that I could finally see the two. Paul was shaking at the sneering Melanie, and I could tell that he was trying his best to rein in his temper. I walked quickly to where they were, severely hoping that Paul wouldn't do anything stupid.

"Paul," I called, coming to an abrupt stop at his side. Melanie cursed beneath her breath as I took one of Paul's quaking hands into my own, squeezing gently. The tremors diminished, and he unfisted his hand to grab mine tightly.

I tugged, trying to pull him away from Melanie. "Let's go home, Paul," I said soothingly, tugging again. Paul stepped towards the car, following me as I guided him bit by bit.

"So, you'd go with _her_, but not me?" Melanie asked dubiously. I ignored her insult, focusing on trying to get Paul to the car before he really lost his temper. Paul snarled quietly, but made no move to pummel her.

"Come on, Paul," I urged, pulling. There was a snort from behind us.

"You may have him for tonight, _Cassie_," she sneered my name. "But just remember that he screamed _my name_ before he even knew you existed—" My fist connected with her nose with a soundly crunch. Melanie screamed in pain and alarm, clutching her gushing nose. Paul grabbed me and towed me into the woods. I numbly recognized that the path he was taking us to Emily's, but the scene was replaying over and over in my mind.

_I just punched Melanie in the face…I broke her _nose_!_

Paul lifted me into his arms and pushed open the front door of the house. He flicked on the lights, illuminating the dark rooms and made his way to the kitchen. Gently, he placed me on top of the counter and dug through the drawers.

I bit my lip ashamedly as I looked at my hand—the one I had punched Melanie with. It was scraped and bleeding, and I could barely move my fingers. Already it was coloring.

Paul grunted as he found the first aid kit, popping it open and grabbing some cotton swabs and disinfectant. Gently, almost tenderly, he took my damaged in his. Paul looked up at me, rather apologetic.

"This is going to hurt a little," he said softly, and I nodded my head bravely. I winced only slightly at the stinging sensation as he sprayed down my cuts. Expertly, he dabbed them over with the swabs, looking up every few seconds to make sure I was okay. When he was done, Paul grabbed some bandages from the white box and began to wrap it around my hand. It hurt a little because he had to wrap it tightly, but I knew he was trying to do it as gently as he could.

"Paul?" I asked as he threw away the used swabs. "Are you mad at me?" Dark brown eyes flashed to me, widened in surprise and indignation.

"Why would I be mad at you?" Paul asked, half-angrily. I simply shrugged my shoulders, looking down dejectedly at my hands. Long russet fingers tilted my chin up, making me look back into his smoldering gaze.

"Cassidy," Paul said sternly. "I am not, nor have I ever been angry with you, and I never will be. Understand?" I nodded under his intense gaze, slightly dazzled by his bottomless eyes. Slowly, he traced my lower lip with his thumb, and I trembled. Paul's eyes darkened as he glared at my lips.

"Cassie," Paul said roughly. "Can I kiss you?" No sooner than did I nod, his lips crashed into mine, his arms gripping my hips tightly. I threaded my fingers through his hair and kissed back just as eagerly. I couldn't help but smile against his warm lips, feeling complete for the first time in months.

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"Paul?" I asked, slightly distracted as he peppered kisses over my shoulder and my neck.

"Hmm?" he asked, nipping at my sensitive neck. I tightened my grip on his shoulders while I tried to get a hold over myself and my racing pulse.

"Wha—" the word caught in my throat, and I tried again. "What did you want to talk about earlier?" Paul stopped his kisses and pulled back to look at me. The intense look was back, mixed with something else I couldn't identify.

"Could we talk about this tomorrow?" he asked quietly.

"Sure," I answered back, just as quiet. I didn't want to push him, especially right after we had just gotten back together.

Relief sparked in Paul's dark eyes, and he smiled at me. He placed his lips on top of mine, moving them slowly. As my left hand knotted in his thick hair, my right hand moved slowly down and placed itself over his chest. His heartbeat thundered under my palm, and I sighed against his lips. Feeling a little bit mature, I wrapped my legs around his hips, and grinned internally as Paul's kiss got more urgent.

"Why are the lights on—Paul! Cassie!" Quil shrieked. "Quit doing each other on the counter! Have you two no _shame_?!"

"Nope," Paul murmured against my lips, and I giggled.

"Well, you guys might want to go and find a cheap motel or something before Emily gets here and finds you two dirtying up her kitchen! Good gravy, man! I'll never be able to look at this place and not want to _throw up_…" With a groan, Paul pulled away from me, disentangling himself.

"Quil, could you put up the first aid kit for us? Thanks, you're a real pal," Paul said, lifting me up into his arms and walked past the offended Quil.

Paul walked out of the house and towards the back where I could make out his truck. He placed me in the passenger's side, buckling me up before he stepped into the driver's.

"Do you want to go ahead and get your car from the beach?" he asked, and I shook my head. I could get it tomorrow. Paul smiled at me before turning the key in the ignition, and pulled easily out of the driveway. He grabbed my hand in his, encasing it in warmth. The heat radiating off of Paul lulled me to sleep, leaving a smile pasted on my face even as I dreamed.

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**I especially like the dinner with her parents. I don't know why though...**

**A little rusty on the romance part, so please forgive me. Also for the terrible writing. I'm rather out of practice. So, please review, and I'll try to get the next chapter up ASAP.  
**


	27. Chapter Twenty Seven

**Author's Note**

**All I have to say [for the top line] is 'bout fucking time. Needless to say, school is being a pain. Seriously. I pretty much collapse into bed about eight o'clock every night 'cause of it. But, I have all A's! :D**

**But, sinfully, they pushed my Literature class to next semester! Effin evil! And, I had an embarrassing moment in one of my classes where I accidentally cursed out loud when the teacher was asking me some tough questions I couldn't answer. I basically screamed, "Oh, shit!" Needless to say people were laughing at me and I flushed bright red. Luckily, he's cool and is loose with the policy.  
**

**OK, so I got a review that didn't quite agree with me. Not liking Momma Quil? Tch. He _so_ totally does have character integrity. He wasn't exactly fully described throughout the series but as a funny man. So, that kind of left him as a blank canvas. No way in hell am I having him just deliver a silly pun or joke once every ten chapters. He's my _comic relief_, and I write him as I see him. So, sadly for you, I'm not going to stop with the 'gender bender' moments. This story is supposed to be weirdly funny. Zyeah.**

**But, I really did love the reviews. We actually hit a record. As for this chapter...nyeh. Don't really like. I'm under a lot of stuff write now, so I'll probably just go back and edit Paul's lame ass apology later. But, I couldn't write this chapter in just Cassie's POV, so...**

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Twilight in any shape or form!  
**

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**Picking up the Pieces**

**[Surprise!]** Paul Point of View

I peeked from beneath my eyelashes to watch Cassie as she explored my room, hands behind her back, inspecting my pictures with intense curiosity. I couldn't help but feel a rush of pride swell through me as I thought of how inquisitive my imprint was, especially compared to the rest of the others. Cassie turned around to glance at me, trying to see if I was still asleep, I guessed. So, I lay still and kept my breathing deep and slow. It was silent for a moment before Cassie returned to examining my bookshelf, and I smiled in victory.

"Paul, I know you're awake," Cassie said flatly, wiping my triumphant grin away.

"How'd you know?" I asked, opening my eyes all of the way. I heard Cassie chuckle before she walked over to the bed and sat down on the edge beside me.

"You snore," she said simply, smiling angelically. I scowled playfully at her, weaving my fingers with hers. Cassie looked down at our hands, a light blush settling over her cheeks.

"Real men snore," I insisted defensively, feeling a tug at my chest when she laughed and beamed brilliantly at me.

"Good, 'cause you snore _really loud_." I glared at her, prompting another round of laughs. I untangled my fingers from hers, and the laughs immediately stopped. She grimaced, at my mock-angry face. She opened her mouth to apologize, but I already had her flipped over onto her back with my fingers tickling her sensitive sides.

"S-Stop it, P-Paul!" she begged, laughing as my fingers danced across her skin. I smirked down at her, not giving her any mercy.

"Why should I?" I teased with a smirk, making my up to her neck. Cassie let out a little yelp, trying in vain to keep my wandering hands at bay.

"Pl-Please?" Cassie pleaded, and I found my fingers slowing down on their on accord. I looked up to see Cassie looking up at me curiously, almost calculatingly.

"Please?" she asked again, sweetly this time, and my hands stopped instantly. Cassie snickered, but still managed to smile kindly at me. "I have power!" she gloated, giggling again. I rolled my eyes at her, but smiled all the same.

"Alright, alright, you power hungry tyrant," I said. "Do you want to go ahead and get your car?" Cassie looked up to the ceiling, thinking.

"Later," she decided. "We still have things to discuss." With that, she looked at me meaningfully, and I grimaced. I was kind of hoping to hold off on it.

"Okay. Where do you want to start?" I asked, and once again her eyes rolled upward as she contemplated.

"Yesterday. I didn't know you used to date Melanie," Cassie said, almost accusingly. I frowned as her face darkened, and I could tell she was borderline furious.

"I don't think you could really call it '_dating_'," I grumbled defensively. "But, we did for a while, but it was all before I found you." I rushed at the end, relieved when the scowl disappeared.

"When was the last time you two were together?" Cassie asked, gazing at me critically. Her eyes narrowed shrewdly as I looked away, tensing up slightly. This was something I really hadn't wanted her to know, either.

"The day I met you," I admitted quietly. I didn't look up to see her reaction, nor did I want to. It hurt to see what I was doing to my imprint, but it still burned that I knew.

"Before or after?" Her voice was tight, strangled sounding.

"Before."

There was a long silence after this that tore my heart into shreds and tied my stomach into infinite knots. Yet, I still didn't dare to look up to witness the hurt that was undoubtedly written all over my imprint's face. Then, oh God, I could hear a small sob, and I could feel my own face contorting in pain at the sound.

I looked up to see Cassie had covered her mouth with her hands, trying to muffle her crying as tears streamed unrelentingly down her face. Quickly, like reflex, I sat up and pulled her onto my lap, cradling her. I could feel her tears soaking my chest as I held her in my arms and rested my head on top of hers.

"I'm sorry," I whispered. My only reply was another sob and her arms tightening around my waist. This was part of why my life sucked so much: all through my life, my mother told me to keep it in my pants, but of course, as all teenagers do, I ignored what now I see now was wise advice.

So, I did the only thing I could do: I held on tight to my little angel, reassuring her that everything would be okay while secretly hoping that I was right.

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I sat on the couch in the living room, pinching the bridge of my nose. Cassie had fallen asleep a few hours before, and I had just come out of the room to think. I had screwed up royally, and I still hadn't a clue as to how to show Cassie that I was sorry. I knew that she felt I was, but it still wasn't enough.

I had everything planned out for last night. I was going to apologize, beg for forgiveness and for her to take me back, and when the time had come, I was too nervous and jittery to even carry on a conversation. Scowling at myself, I had walked off to the other side of the beach and paced. It wasn't long before I was interrupted by Melanie, and everything just fell apart. My thoughts drifted to the ring that was still in my pocket…

My groan echoed in the empty room, and I feared that I had wakened Cassie. After a moment, and no sign of her waking up, I let my head loll back and stared dejectedly up at the ceiling. I closed my eyes, and all I could think of was Cassie.

"Paul?"

I tilted my head up to see Cassie standing hesitantly in the doorway, fidgeting with the hem of her shirt. I grinned and held out my arms, quite elated when she ran into them and then skillfully tucked herself into my chest.

"Why'd you leave me?" she asked, pouting slightly.

"I had to think," I said simply, kissing her lower lip.

"Oh, so you can't think when I'm around?" Cassie joked, wiggling her eyebrows. I chuckled.

"No," I said teasingly. "_You snore really loud_." I mimicked her tone from earlier, and she gave me a sour glare.

"Real men snore," she mocked, and I laughed.

"They sure do, angel." I kissed her forehead, eliciting a small sigh from her that had my heart pounding.

"Paul?" Cassie asked, breaking the silence.

"Hm?"

"We haven't finished our talk," she pointed out bluntly. I sighed, nodding my head.

"Go ahead," I prompted, slightly distracted when I felt her playing with a strand of my hair. She rested her head in the crook of my neck, never letting go of that one piece of hair. I had to focus hard when she spoke to fully understand what she was saying.

"Aside from the Melanie business," Cassie said in what sounded like a jealous tone, "I want you to clue me in on what you wanted to talk to me about last night." She twirled my hair around her finger, and I gulped.

"Well," I started shakily, tensing when I felt her place a light kiss on my neck. I cleared my throat nervously before trying again. "Last night, I just…I wanted to apologize—extensively." Good God, I was acting like a total fucking idiot.

Cassie looked up at me, eyebrows furrowing. "For what?" she asked innocently.

_For being a dick, asshole, over-jealous, overly possessive prick, et cetera, et cetera…_

"For a lot of things," I settled, and Cassie just cocked her head, making me think that she was all the more adorable. "Last night, I had decided that I was going to give you the apology that has been long overdue since…the 'accident,'" Cassie and I flinched in unison.

"Paul, you don't have to do this—"

"But I do, Cass," I cut in gently, encasing her small hand in mine. "I'm pretty sure that you know that I'm not exactly an expert in expressing my feelings, but I do want you to know that I _am_ sorry for what I've done to you.

"I _was _going to give you that apology," I said, repeating my thoughts from earlier, "but I got…nervous, I suppose you could say, and that basically just screwed everything up. I really wish I could make things easier, Cass, but I can't. I've done some fucked up things to us and unintentional as they were, it was bad. Cassie, that night, I had overreacted—big time. It was stupid of me not to listen to you and just jump to conclusions like I did. I've done a lot of stupid things, but this is, by far, the _worst_, and I've thrown everything off course. I'm sorry that I've screwed everything up; I'm sorry that I've pissed you off countless times; I am _extremely_ sorry that I've slept with almost every girl in La-fucking-Push, and I'm sorry I—"

"Paul!" Cassie covered my mouth with her hand. "I _get it_. You're sorry." I nodded my head, slightly eager to show her how sorry I was, and she chuckled.

"I was never mad at you," Cass said. I glared at her, and she backtracked. "Well, I _was_ at first, but you know I can't stay angry with you for a long time."

"It _was_ for a long time," I disagreed, and she sighed.

"Okay, maybe it was," Cassie allowed grudgingly, and I almost smiled. "But, my point is that I'm not mad anymore, and you shouldn't be beating yourself up over what happened; it's understandable why you lost your temper…kind of." I groaned, and Cassie patted my chest. "What I'm trying to say Paul is that everyone has bad days, and that was just one of them—"

"You're comparing what I did to a _bad day_?" I asked incredulously, and Cassie nodded her head.

"Could've been worse," she argued, "I mean, I could be _dead_, or still in a coma; I could've had something amputated, and the list goes on!" Cassie waved her limbs around for emphasis, and I could only stare blankly at her.

"You're crazy," I said, almost affectionately, and she grinned.

"All part of the Barker charm," Cassie smiled, and I couldn't help but smile back. "Now," she said, standing up, "can we go to Emily's? I'm _starving_."

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I drove up to Emily and Sam's place, taking a quick peek at Cassie from the corner of my eye for the millionth time. I would be lying if I said I didn't like her wearing one of my t-shirts, especially since she had it knotted in the front, showing just a bit of skin…

"Paul," Cassie interrupted my less than appropriate daydream, "You can cut the engine now."

"Oops," I said under my breath, turning the key in the ignition and sliding it out.

I stepped out of the truck, taking my place beside Cassie. She placed her hand inside of mine, and I squeezed it gently. She walked lithely up the porch steps, and I followed suit like a lovesick puppy. As Cassie placed her hand on the doorknob, the door was wrenched open. Cassie let out a shocked squeak, backing up into my chest. I growled at Quil.

"Watch it, dumbass," I snarled, but he ignored me. Instead, he turned to Cassie with a curious expression.

"So…" he started, "did you two make up?" I rolled my eyes at him and wrapped my arms around Cassie's waist. I didn't miss how Quil's eyes lit up and how he shook—something he did when he was excited about something. Quil stepped to the side, allowing us entry into the house. As we passed, he winked devilishly at me, and I grinned.

There was a buzzing excitement in the air, and I could see Cassie looking about in curiosity. Quickly, she pulled me towards the kitchen where conversations were flurried. When we entered, Emily and Kim were pointing emphatically at items in a catalog with both Sam and Jared behind them, eyeing the prices warily.

"Honey," Jared said soothingly, "That crib is over _a thousand dollars_. Why don't you pick out something else?" Kim paused in her conversation with Emily to turn around as far as her swollen belly would let her to glare at her husband.

"But I don't _want another crib_," she hissed. "This is the best one they have! Don't you want what is best for your unborn child?" Jared grimaced, nodding his head. Kim's scowl melted into a beam and she circled the crib in permanent marker.

"Emily? Which one did you want?" Kim asked, and Emily launched into a full description of a crib that she insisted was just a few pages away. As they flipped through, I sat down in one of the vacant sits, pulling Cassie down onto my lap and rested my chin on top of her head. I snickered at Sam and Jared as they grimaced and flinched at the obscene prices.

"Don't worry, Paul," Sam said darkly, "You'll be going through this, too, very soon." I rolled my eyes, still smirking at him. He and Jared scowled at me in unison before turning back to their hormonal wives and tried to convince them to pick something out something that wouldn't drain their banking accounts.

"Paul, dear?" Emily asked in a sweet voice. "Don't you think that this crib is so _adorable_?" She held up the thick catalog and pointed at one the choices.

"I'm happy to say that I wouldn't know, Emily," I said wryly, and she scowled at me.

"Oh, you're useless," she said harshly, and Sam chuckled.

"Hey, hey. What's going on in here?" Tommy asked, leading Leah into the kitchen with us. Emily snapped into action, holding up the catalog for his perusal.

"Isn't it the quality of an item—oh, say a _crib_, for instance—that matters the most, instead of the price?" Emily leaned towards him, a spark in her eyes. Tommy glanced at the magazine warily, and settled for shrugging his shoulders. Smart man.

"Men!" Emily griped to an equally pissed off looking Kim. "They have _no_ common sense, whatsoever!"

"Um, honey," Sam said, "I'm a _man_, remember?" Emily tilted her head back to glare at him.

"_Exactly_," Emily snapped, and Kim glared back at Jared. They shrunk back from their wives shrewd expressions, and I could hear Cassie giggling quietly into my shoulder.

"Hey, Cass," Tommy said, grinning at her in a way that I didn't like, "What have you been up to lately, hm?" He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, and she flushed a light pink. Leah, lucky for him, was the one that smacked him, albeit lightly.

"Leave her alone, Tommy," she said, grinning. "Paul probably has her all worn out." She winked at Cassie, making her skin flush darker.

"Shut it, Leah," I growled, tightening my grip on Cassie. But she just laughed me off, leaning her head onto Tommy's shoulder, her gaze never letting up.

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**There's actually a second part to this chapter [next chapter], and it'll still be Paul's POV. Yup. And, yes, Paul WAS going to propose last chapter, rather hastily, but Melanie stopped him. Thank her. ;|**

**So, please review this shitty chapter. Maybe I'll come back and edit it into something slightly decent later. But, as for now, sorry! [Please excuse any errors you see!]  
**


	28. Chapter Twenty Eight

**Author's Note**

**Aw! I'm glad you guys love Momma Quil and stood up for him. In fact, he thanks you guys for the backup, and sends his love along with a basket of homemade blueberry muffins.**

**Wow. I actually got off my ass and made this chapter...for no reason besides the fact that I wanted to! Say all you want, but this is all willpower, baby! 8D**

**OK, it's kinda short, but I didn't have much time and this is two parts. [Part one being the previous chapter.] And...I actually like it. Well, I know some people will be [semi] disappointed with one part, but not for long. I have a plan. ;D  
**

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**Picking up the Pieces Part II**

**Paul POV**

A few hours later, Emily and Kim were finally done picking out what they wanted for the babies. Sam and Jared looked exhausted and drained while the women were all bright and beaming. Must be the pregnancy glow I've heard so much about.

"Hey, Paul!" Seth boomed from the living room. "Do you wanna go and tee-pee Jake's house? I heard that Nessie's over there!" There was a suggestive tone to the statement, and I grimaced at the implication.

"Hell no!" I hollered back. I was too busy making sure that Tommy kept his grubby hands to himself.

I leaned against the porch railing, narrowing my eyes as Tommy reached over to muss Cassie's hair. In return, she pushed him down, hard, onto the grass, and then squealed when he grabbed at her ankles.

"Jealous, much?" Leah taunted, sidling up to me. I paused in my monitoring to scowl at her briefly, and then turned my attention back just in time to see Tommy wrap his arms around Cassie's small waist to fling her down onto the ground beside him. I snarled quietly, wood splintering in my curled fingers. Leah chuckled beside me, and I could feel her grinning mockingly at me.

I glared at her. "You can't tell me that it doesn't bother you," I said accusingly, making Leah smile wider.

"Of course it does."

We watched Tommy and Cassie wrestle for dominance in the silence. I picked the splinters from my fingers, wiping the drops of blood onto my jeans.

"How do you stand it?" I asked, a little frustrated. Leah sighed quietly, blowing her bangs from her eyes.

"I trust him," she said simply, and I furrowed my eyebrows at her.

"You…trust him?" I asked, a little dubious, and she nodded her head solemnly.

"I've got to," Leah said, "or else I'd go crazy, wondering what he's doing every time we're away from each other." Leah shrugged her shoulders, smiling lightly. I narrowed my eyes at her suspiciously.

"Okay, who are you and what have you done with the real Leah?" I asked, and she laughed loudly.

"I guess I've changed quite a bit, huh?" Leah smirked at me, and I grinned back. "This is perhaps the first civilized conversation we have had together," she said, and I chuckled.

"Well, it didn't help that you were always in a bad mood," I pointed out, and she shoved my shoulder lightly.

"Look who's talking," Leah said. I cracked a smile, and turned my gaze back to the front lawn. I watched as Cassie smacked Tommy on the face—I silently cheered—and glared as Tommy pinned her onto the ground, hovering above her. Just as I was about to stand and make my over to them, I felt Leah's hand on my arm, pushing me back down.

"_Trust_," she emphasized. I glared at her for a moment before reluctantly staying put on the porch.

Trust, I thought to myself. I've got to trust her.

Never had I thought that watching Cassie playing around with someone else would get me so pissed. It didn't justify the tight, angry knot in my chest or the slow burning flame tingling up my spine as I watched. But, like Leah told me, I had to trust Cassie.

Even though she had never done anything to wrong me, I found it tough to trust Cassie as her limbs entangled in Tommy's, her laughs loud and bright even from on the porch. I didn't like it. I didn't like it at all. I turned to Leah, looking for someone else to share my rage, but instead I just saw her smiling along, chuckling at the two as they wrestled. Her eyes brightened as Tommy tried to pin Cassie again, and my scowl became more pronounced.

Trust obviously wasn't in my vocabulary.

I tensed up, ready to go and break up the match, regardless of what Leah had said, when Cassie turned towards me and smiled. Not just any smile, but a large, beaming grin, and I felt my muscles loosen on contact. It lasted for only a second—Tommy wasn't going to wait until she was done to tackle her—but it had dissipated the knot in my stomach, and the flames dissolved.

Trust. I had to trust her.

--

I popped open a can of beer, taking a quick sip as I watched Tommy point out constellations to Cassie. I leaned back on the porch swing, crossing my ankles and smiled as Cassie's eyes lit up in delight.

"When are you going to tell him?" I asked quietly, and Leah grimaced beside me.

"I don't know," she said, frowning. Leah tapped her fingers on her knee nervously, and I looked at her from the corner of my eye.

"It sucks, don't it?" I asked, and she smiled wryly at me.

"Definitely." It was quiet for a moment before Leah turned the tables onto me. "When are you going to ask her?" I flinched, taking a heavy sip from the can.

"Not sure," I said, and I saw Leah smile.

"I thought you were going to ask her last night?"

"I thought so, too," I grumbled, taking another mouthful of cold beer. Leah chuckled hollowly beside me.

"Do you…want to talk about it?" she asked, frowning. I raised an eyebrow at her, not able to help the mocking smirk I gave her.

"Feels strange, huh?" I asked, and Leah shuddered.

"You have no idea," she said, shivering in what I could only guess as lighthearted disgust.

"No," I disagreed, "I'm pretty sure I do."

"Whatever. Now, just tell me: are you going to propose to her?" Leah asked, staring at me with an intense expression. I placed the can to my lips, trying to take another large gulp of beer only to find that I had already drank it all.

"Yes…no…I don't know!" I said, exasperated. I slipped my free hand into my pocket, tracing the circular object that still inhabited it. I had gone into what the guys liked to call as the 'Ring Finger Phase', or the time when all I could do was stare at her left hand and imagine a ring occupying her empty finger.

Leah, in a very unlike Leah gesture, patted my back comfortingly. "Perhaps…now isn't the time for you to propose," she said gently, and I looked up at her in a mixture of rage and confusion. She rushed on, "I mean, you two have only just got back together, and I don't think that _now_ _is the time_." I groaned, burying my face into my hands.

"When is the right time?" I asked her, my voice muffled. After a brief pause, Leah finally spoke.

"I'm not sure, Paul," she said. "All I can tell you is that you'll know when. But, do you think now is honestly the right time?"

"…No," I mumbled sadly, and I could feel Leah standing up beside me. I uncovered my face to see her smiling down at me happily.

"Enjoy the time you have with her, Paul," Leah said, "Then, when you think she's ready, propose." I sighed quietly, nodding my head.

Leah smiled at me, and then pointed to the front lawn. I looked to see Cassie making her way over to the porch, grinning at me. I stood up, just a bit too eagerly, and grabbed her into my arms.

"I kicked Tommy's ass," she said in greeting, and I chuckled. I brushed stray hair from her forehead, bending down to kiss her lightly.

"You tired?" I asked, and she shook her head.

"I just wanna go home," Cassie said, wrapping her arms around my waist. My heart soared ridiculously high when I heard her say 'home', as if sharing living spaces with me was the place she wanted to be.

I turned to Leah. "Could you tell the others that we're leaving?" I asked, and she nodded, smiling as Tommy wrapped his arms around her.

I lead Cassie down the porch, needlessly making sure she didn't trip. Cassie hopped down the stairs happily, smiling all the while. I opened her door for her, and grinned when she snuck a kiss from me.

"_Wait_!" Quil screeched, throwing open the screen door. "Use condoms! Birth control! A sock, if you need to! P—Ow! Claire! What was that for?!"

"Good night, Cassie! Good night, Paul!" Claire called, dragging Quil inside by his ear. I chuckled as I hopped into the truck. Cassie was fiddling with the radio, flipping through stations before settling on an Old Rock station. It was quiet, and I looked from the corner of my eye to see Cassie wringing her hands, looking out the window.

"Cassie?" I asked quietly, and she jumped. I placed my hand on top of hers, completely covering them. "Are you okay?" Cassie looked down and bit her lip, nodding her head. I decided not to push, and continued to navigate down the road until we reached the house. I pulled into the driveway, parking and then cutting the ignition. Quickly, Cassie unbuckled her seat belt and hopped out, all before I could say anything. Just as quickly, I followed her out and up the porch.

Cassie waited for me to unlock the front door, biting her lip all the while. I looked down at her, suddenly worried. Had she heard what Leah and I were talking about earlier? And did she then decide that she didn't want to stay with me anymore?

I flinched at the thought, and my suspicions didn't let up when she darted into the house, not even waiting for me.

"Cassie?" I asked when I caught up to her in the living room. "Is something wrong?" Cassie shifted nervously where she stood, gazing down at the floor. I thought she wasn't going to answer me, but after a moment, she spoke up.

"I've…I've been thinking," Cassie started, turning a light pink. She looked up at me, and I wrapped my arms around her, pulling her to me. "I…"

"Yes?" I coaxed gently, and Cassie hid her face into my chest.

"Iloveyou!" she squeaked, the words jumbled together as she sped through them.

My eyes widened, and my jaw went slack. I could hear her heart fluttering in her chest, and I could feel the heat as blood rushed into her cheeks. Cassie looked up at me, eyes just as wide.

"You…love me?" I asked, my voice sounding strangled. It was too good to be true.

Cassie flushed darker. "I know that we just got back together and all, but, I mean, I understand if you don't feel the same w—_mmph_!" The rest was smothered as I crashed my lips into hers enthusiastically. She tangled her fingers into my hair, tugging fistfuls as her mouth moved excitedly against mine.

When she pulled away from me, I pouted, and her face flushed, if possible, much darker. "That…wasn't the only thing I've been thinking about." I looked at her confusedly, my eyebrows furrowing. Cassie bit her lip again, looking back to the hallway. It took me a moment before I understood what she was motioning at: the bedroom.

My breath quickened, and I looked down at her. "Are you sure?" I asked, and she nodded, pulling me towards the dark hallway. I followed her eagerly into the bedroom, my hands already making their way up her shirt.

"I love you, Paul," Cassie said, almost shyly.

"Love you too, Angel."

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**8D**

**Viva la Paul! Viva la Paul!**

**Now, as a treat, he demands...oh, say, forty or so reviews?**

**Sorry, but no lemons for you! Rating is strictly 'T', and it has to stay that way. I don't want to be held responsible for a reader's brain melting with all of the steamy details. ;D**

**And, no, Paul won't propose for a while. [It's okay, Jen. I never planned for him to propose in this chapter.] But, it will come up soon, since I have to hurry up and finish this damned story.  
**

**So...how about hitting that review button, eh? Remember: forty is my goal!  
**


	29. Chapter Twenty Nine

**Author's Note**

**I'm back! :D**

**But, sadly, Paul did _not_ receive his much wanted forty reviews. For the past weeks he has been inconsolable, depressed, even! Why, even Momma Quil's muffins weren't the same!**

**But, that's OK. We have come to learn that +30 is good enough for us. It was close, and the reviews warmed us. So, thanks to those who reviewed. I'm sorry that I am, alas, too damned lazy to write you all out like I did in the earlier chapters.  
**

**So, I would like to apologize for the fact that I haven't updated. School is...well, school. Plus, I was grounded. D:**

**I hope you guys like this chapter--someone needs to. Oh, and did I mention that there are only two chapters left?**

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Twilight.  
**

* * *

**[Months Later]**

I was crouched down beside the baby mat where the little baby Michael was laying down on his back. He looked up at me with his curious brown eyes, the ones that I saw every time I looked at Jared. I stuck my tongue out at him, grinning when he tried to mimic me unsuccessfully.

"Have you seen Emily?" Sam asked, poking his head in the living room.

"I think she's in the nursery with Ryan," I said, watching as his face lit up. It was a wonder how both Kim and Emily wound up with baby boys.

After Sam left, I resumed playing with Michael. I picked up one of the toys that were strewn about—a stuffed wolf, I saw—and wiggled it in front of his face. He gasped in childlike surprise and reached for it with his tiny arms. I placed it in his arms, gently, and couldn't help but stare in wonder when he hugged the wolf to his chest.

"Cassie!" Quil called from the kitchen. "Come get Michael's bottle!" I rolled my eyes, smiling. Since Emily was always busy with Ryan, Quil had taken it upon himself to take over the kitchen.

I stood up and headed toward the kitchen. I pushed open the door and walked over to Quil, grabbing the bottle from his hand.

"Has Michael been playing with his toys?" he inquired in a, dare I say it, motherly manner.

"Yup," I said, popping the 'p'. "He really likes the wolf, though."

"Of course he does!" Quil exclaimed. "_I_ made it for him, a-la-Quil style."

"Why he would like a shabby thing like that, I have no idea," I teased, dodging Quil's hands when he reached to pinch me.

"Shut up and go feed the poor baby, before I go gangster on your bitch ass," Quil threatened, and I laughed.

"Ah! No!" I mock exclaimed, making a run for the door.

"Lookout, ya'll! White girl on the run!"

--

"Cassie? Are you okay?" Tommy asked, nudging me out of my daydream.

"Yeah," I said, settling my chin in my palm. I just _knew_ I was forgetting something, but I couldn't quite figure out what.

"You look…_different_," Tommy said. I looked over to where he perched on the couch, squinting his blue-gray eyes at me. I raised an eyebrow at him, waiting for him to continue. "Yes…yes, I think that's it."

"What's 'it'?" I asked, a little snappishly. Tommy stared at me for a moment, before nodding his head.

"Yeah, that's definitely it."

"_What_?"

"The sexual frustration," he said simply. "It's gone." I jumped, nearly falling out of the chair. Blood rushed into my face, but I wasn't going to let him know that I wasn't a virgin now.

"What do you mean?" I cleared my throat, trying to make my voice go back down to its regular pitch.

"…You made brownies without me, didn't you?" Tommy asked, glaring angrily.

"No," I said, shaking my head vehemently. His eyebrows crumpled in confusion, and he cocked his head at me.

"Did you read a porno?"

"God, no!"

"Then explain to me, my dear Cassie, why you aren't sexually frustrated anymore?" Tommy grinned a Cheshire Cat grin at me, and I could almost hear his delighted purr.

"I-I was never sexually frustrated," I stammered, wincing as his smile grew more and more pronounced.

"You did _it_!" Tommy crowed joyously.

"No!" I denied, grimacing at how childish I sounded. Tommy guffawed loudly, falling off the couch and onto the floor. Blood rush into my face as he rolled around, tears streaming down his face.

"You did it! You did it!" Tommy sang between his laughs. "Cassie did it!"

"Shut _up_!" I hissed, clapping my hand over his mouth. He reached up and peeled my hand away from his mouth, a roguish glint in his eyes.

"Don't worry, Cassie. Leah and I do it all the time!"

"_Ew_!" I screeched, plugging my ears. "I don't want to hear about that!"

"Fine, fine," Tommy chuckled, pulling my hands from my ears. "I'll stop."

"Don't tell anyone!" I begged, giving him my best puppy dogface. He grinned at me before nodding and marking an 'X' over his chest.

"I, Thomas Christopher D'Toris, do so swear that I shall not reveal to a single soul—besides Leah—that you are no longer a virgin."

I glared at him for a moment before nodding my head. "You better not."

--

"I'm telling you Al, I'm forgetting something!" I ranted, pulling a t-shirt over my bikini. Al scoffed from the other side of the room, and I could practically hear her eyes rolling.

"It will come to you, Cass, as long as you just _leave it alone_."

"But it's so infuriating!" I complained, slipping my feet into a pair of flip-flops. I made sure that my necklace—a one-year anniversary gift from Paul—was fastened tightly around so that I wouldn't lose it. The carved wolf charm was smooth under my fingers and I instantly warmed up.

"We're meeting the guys at the beach, right?" Al asked, and I nodded my head. It had been a while since I had seen Paul because Sam had him and the guys working double shifts—with the exception of Jared. Obviously having a child was equally tiring and they didn't have the time between hormonal wives and crying children to patrol the woods for danger.

"I wonder what Embry will wear," Al said with a mischievous grin. I gagged and she threw her shoe at me.

"Oh, shut up," she said good-naturedly. "Like you don't want to know what Paul's wearing." I flushed a bright red and glared at her, making her laugh.

"Lets go," I grumbled, stomping out of the room and out of the house. My shoes smacked against the pavement as I stomped over to our car, Al not far behind me. I unlocked the car door and hopped in, already shoving the key into the ignition. I pressed the 'unlock' button, and Al sat in the passenger's side. As I pulled out of the driveway, she fiddled with the radio station before settling on a bouncy pop song.

"You took some Ibuprofen, right?" Al asked, and I snorted grumpily. My back and leg had been acting up again, and Al couldn't stand the mood it put me in.

Taking my reaction as a yes, she sighed in relief. I could only roll my eyes, shifting in my seat to lessen the pressure on my leg.

When we got to the beach, Al and I spotted Janine talking to Tara, and off in the distance Brian building sand castles. When we walked over to them, Brian smiled at me, revealing two rows of shiny white teeth.

"Al! Cass! Come help me make some sand castles!" He beckoned us over with a bony finger, and Tara rolled her eyes.

"He's utterly convinced that he's going to take over the beach," she explained. Behind her, Brian beamed largely, nodding his head fervently.

"Of _course_ I will," Brian said. "But Tara and Janine here think that it's a fool's quest—"

"Which it is," Janine said, smiling. Brian stuck his tongue out at her, crossing his eyes.

"Don't mind him," Mitchell said, walking up to us. "He's still suffering from an immense hangover from last night."

"Yes!" Brian said, grinning. "That party was freaking awesome! They were playing Madonna all night—"

"He loves Madonna; practically worships her," Tara whispered to us.

"—the drinks were strong and the men were gay!" Brian crowed, doing a little happy dance in the sand. Mitchell gagged while the rest of us laughed. Mid-laugh, Brian stopped, looking behind us.

"Mmm," he purred. "Sex on legs." I turned to see who he was talking about, laughing even harder when I saw it was Quil who was approaching us. He lifted me in a huge bear hug, grabbing Al with his other arm.

"Well, if it isn't my two girls," he boomed. "Long time, no see!" I didn't miss how Brian's face sagged in disappointment, but immediately brightened.

"You guys know each other?" he asked, and Quil cocked his head to the side.

"But of course!" Quil said, grinning madly. "We've known each other for—Oo! Are you making _sand castles_?!" Brian nodded, and Quil's eyes lit up in childish delight.

"Me and Claire-Bear used to make these all the time! Can I help?" Quil asked, and Brian tapped his finger against his bottom lip, thinking.

"No," Brian said after a moment. "Gay men only." Quil's mouth dropped with a loud click. But he quickly erased it, replacing it with a dark glare.

"Well," Quil said, "I'll make my own sand castles—straight men only, _of course_." With a smirk, Quil dropped down to the sand, not two feet away from the suspicious looking Brian, and started to pile up sand. I sent a wary glance to Al, and she bit her lip nervously.

"I'm gonna go look for Paul," I said, still watching as Quil and Brian shot each other dirty looks. "Could you watch them and make sure that they don't do anything…drastic?"

Al nodded her head. "If you see Embry, send him over here, would you?"

--

"Where've you been?" Paul asked as I plopped down onto the sand beside him. His hair was messier than usual, and dark purple rings rimmed his eyes.

"Looking for you," I said simply, brushing his hair from his eyes. Paul leaned into my hand, smiling slightly as his eyes closed. "Tired?"

"Kind of," Paul said quietly.

"Perhaps you should go home and get some sleep," I advised. Paul opened his eyes for a moment to regard me with a serious expression.

"Not if you're not coming," he said stubbornly.

"Paul," I said sternly. "Go home."

"Cassie, no." Paul and I glared at each other for a moment before I gave up, falling backwards onto the sand.

"When are you going to sleep then?" I asked, exasperated. Paul mimicked my moves, lying down beside me.

"Now," he said, resting his head on top of mine. I rolled my eyes, but let him wrap his arms around me.

"We're gonna get sand kicked in our faces," I grumbled. Paul muttered something incoherent, and I smiled. Within the minute, Paul had fallen asleep and soft snores emanated from his chest.

--

"Pst! _Cassie_!"

I groaned, opening my eyes. Through my hazy vision, I could make out Claire standing by Paul and I, looking quite harried.

"Mm?" I asked sleepily.

"It's Quil," Claire said distraughtly. "He won't stop!"

"Stop what?" I mumbled, already closing my eyes to go back to sleep.

"_Building those damned sand castles_!" Claire shrieked, waving her arms about. Beside me, Paul groaned loudly, opening his eyes.

"This is about Quil?" he asked, eyes tightening to a nasty degree. Claire nodded her hand, biting her lip anxiously. Paul growled and stood from the sand, heading over to where Quil and Brian were in tense competition with purpose. I scrambled from the ground and jogged after him, grabbing his arm.

"You aren't going to hurt him too bad, are you?" I asked, not entirely keeping the worry from my voice. Paul didn't answer me, but I saw his face soften ever so slightly. I followed him, hand still wrapped in a death grip around his arm.

"Quil," Paul called, sounding relatively calm. Quil paused in constructing his sand palace—decked with shiny shells and an unfortunate starfish—and turned to look at Paul, his face turning ashen at the sight of his stony expression. Brian watched the exchange with a calculating expression, grinning mischievously when he saw me hanging on to Paul.

Paul crooked a finger at Quil, gesturing to the woods. Quil gulped loudly, but obliged, if a bit reluctantly. Before he followed, though, he sent Brian one last dirty look. Brian only smiled sweetly, plucking Quil's starfish from his sandy palace and placing it on his own castle. Quil spluttered indignantly as Paul dragged him away, his tremors becoming more and more noticeable as they gained distance.

"Is he okay?" Janine asked, gesturing towards Paul's receding figure. I smiled wryly.

"He has a bit of a temper," I clarified, and she nodded her head. I heard Al snort her laugh, and I sent a glare in her direction. Embry was sitting beside her, arm wrapped around her shoulders.

"Where's Seth?" Al asked Embry, who shrugged his shoulders noncommittally.

"Last I heard he was chasing some chick's skirt back at the burger shack," he said, resting his chin atop Al's head. Janine wrinkled her nose delicately, and I had to laugh. It never ceased to make me laugh when she turned her nose up at the slightest mention of sexuality.

I nudged her with my shoulder. "Don't be such a prude," I teased. Janine stuck her tongue out at me, but I could see the deep humor in her eyes.

--

"You may have won the battle, _Brian_," Quil spat his name with as much venom as he could muster, "but you have not won the war."

"We'll see about that, _Quil_," Brian sneered.

The sun was setting, and everyone was piling into their respective cars. Al and Embry had already left, and Tara was busy trying to coax Brian from his glared down—or rather, glare up, seeing as how Quil towered over him.

Paul stood behind me, his hands planted firmly on my hips. His thumbs rubbed circles on my skin, and the blood rushed to my cheeks. Thank God it was too dark for anyone to see.

"Hey guys! Leaving already?" Seth asked, jogging up to us. He was shirtless and his hair was thoroughly disheveled. Paul snorted quietly, and I rolled my eyes.

"The sun's kind of setting, Seth," I pointed out. "Of course we're leaving. Where've you been, anyway?" Seth smiled roguishly at me, and I shuddered.

"Never mind, then," I said, making Seth boom with laughter.

"Cassie?" Janine called, and I looked over to her fast approaching. "Sometime, could I please borrow your _Language Arts & Journalism_ textbook?"

"Sure. I could give it to you in Mr. Collin's Monday, if you'd like," I offered. Janine beamed joyfully at me, nodding her head.

"That would be splendid. I've got an essay I've got to turn in a couple of weeks from now, and I really need some help on it."

"I could help, if you want; I really don't have anything else to do besides the article Mrs. Caldor wants, and I'm almost done with that."

"Superb!" Janine exclaimed, eyes twinkling. She was the only person I have ever known who used her SAT words correctly in her sentences.

"Janine! Get your ass over here!" Tara yelled, gesturing to the van. Janine smiled dryly at me, and I giggled.

"Bye, Jan," I said, loosening Paul's grip on me so I could hug her. She leaned forward and wrapped her slender arms around my shoulders in a gentle embrace.

After Janine slid into the van, I turned to berate Seth but stopped when I saw his dazed expression. I looked at Paul's incredulous face, and my face froze in horror.

"He _didn't_," I gasped, but Paul just nodded wordlessly, confirming my fears. "_You imprinted on my friend_?!" I shrieked at Seth, but he didn't respond. His eyes only followed the disappearing van as it turned a curb, the glowing taillights dissipating in the darkness.

--

"I can't believe he did that. The nerve!" I huffed, crossing my arms over my chest. I paced around the bedroom, scowling all the while. Paul sat on the bed, sending me worried looks as I continued to curse Seth to the deepest pits of hell.

"Cass, Angel?" Paul asked quietly, patting the spot beside him. "Why don't you come lay down for a bit? It's getting late." My eyes darted to the alarm clock. 11:57 P.M., it radiated. My scowl became more pronounced and I picked up on my pacing.

"How could he do this to me?" I hissed. Paul sighed, giving up on his attempts to calm me.

"Seth can't help it," Paul reasoned, and I snorted.

"He will if I make him," I snarled. Paul didn't respond, and I turned my glare to him. Paul was staring at me warily, as if he was thinking of a 'safe' way to respond to my rants.

"Maybe," Paul started slowly, "this is a _good thing_. Maybe it's just what they both need."

"Or maybe it's not," I retorted. Paul sighed, pushing his hand through his hair.

"Cassidy," Paul said sternly, "you need to go easier on Seth; it's not something he can help, whether you bully him or not." I spluttered indignantly, not knowing what to say to this. Paul's face was carefully composed, a perfect poker face.

"Angel," he said, more softly, but sounding extremely cautious, "are you, you know, on your period?" Paul twitched nervously as my scowl intensified invariably.

"_What_?!" I yelled, making Paul wince even more. "What does that even have to do with anything with this conversation?! And, no, I am not on my p—"

And that's when I remembered what had eluded me for so long.

* * *

**-face-palm-**

**And that, guys, is how I'm going to end this story: with perhaps the BIGGEST cliché**﻿ **of them all. I think you guys can guess what it is. **

**I'm pretty much beating myself up for my lack of creativity at the moment, but it was the only way I could think of. I've got other writing projects I've been fantasizing about, and I crave to write them out. **

**One of the stories WILL be a Seth x Janine story. Nice and lighthearted with some appearances of Paul and Cassie.  
**

**Oh, and, yes, Tommy does know about the pack now. Not much of him, and I'm afraid I didn't make it clear. I'll try and incorporate it in the next chapter. **

**So, perhaps you could spare a kindhearted/genuine review and console me in my grief?**


	30. Chapter Thirty

**Author's Note**

**OK: I'd like, no, love to thank laurazuleta18 for helping me pick out some names, so, kisses and dedication to her! Mwah!**

**Also, special thanks to CherryCrush101 since she reviewed, like, a gajillion of my chapters & Gryffindor Gurl2 for being with the story since day UNO. That's a lot of days, yo. **

**Also, happy late 17th birthday to my sister Erin. Chyeah!**

**This is the second to last chapter, and next is the epilogue with the birth and et cetera. This is seventeen pages freaking long, so enjoy while I go mend my sore cracking fingers. :D**

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT own the Feared and Revered Twilight!  
**

* * *

**Mamma Mia!**

Horror washed over me as numbers flew through my head, tracking down when I was supposed to have had my period. Unbelieving, I went over those numbers over and over, always coming up with the same result. I was supposed to start _two weeks ago_. How could I have not noticed this sooner?

"Cassie? Cassie?" Paul waved his hand in front of me, concern lacing his words. "Cassie? Are you okay?" I blinked once, then twice, unfreezing from my rigid stance.

"We need," I croaked distraughtly, "to go to the pharmacy." Paul's eyes widened.

"Are you sick?" he asked, eyebrows furrowed in unease.

"I think I'm going to be very soon," I joked halfheartedly. Paul, not quite getting the joke, widened his eyes even more, but said nothing as he ushered me to his truck. The ride was tense with apprehension. I could see it on Paul by the way his back was painfully erect and how his knuckles whitened as he gripped the steering wheel, barely blinking as he drove us to our destination.

Paul moved to unbuckle his seat belt, but I stopped him, shaking my head. "I've got it; just stay here." He opened his mouth to protest, but stopped and pulled out his wallet.

"How much do you need?" Paul asked warily. I thought for a moment, not quite sure how much pregnancy tests cost.

"Forty bucks," I said. Paul didn't even bat an eye, already pulling out the money. I grabbed it from him, dodging his curious glances and hopped out of the truck. I made a quick dash inside the tiny pharmacy and immediately searched the aisles. At the very back—very appropriately, I thought—were the pregnancy kits, alongside the mountains of birth control. I plucked several from the shelf and hurried back to the register.

The cashier tentatively picked up one of the blue boxes, raising her eyebrow in distaste at the little pile. I blushed brightly as she rung them up, placing them in a brown paper bag.

"That'll be thirty-five dollars, miss," she said in palpable disdain, and I handed her the two twenty dollar bills. The woman handed me back the change and practically shoved the offensive bag into my arms.

I jogged back outside, the bag tucked beneath my arm. I hopped back into the truck, handing back the change.

"Are you going to tell me what you bought?" Paul asked, cranking the key in the ignition. I could tell that he was irritated, but I just shook my head.

"I'll tell you when we get home," I said nervously, wincing under Paul's critical glare.

The ride was short, and I could tell that Paul had purposely increased the speed of the truck to get back to the house quicker. I ducked my head as I slid out of the car, making a run for the door. I heard Paul right behind me as I pushed open the door and made my way towards the bathroom door. Paul caught the back of my shirt, pulling me backwards toward him. I tried to pull harder, and even contemplated slipping out of my shirt to escape him, but thought better of it.

"What," Paul said in a low, severe voice, "is in that bag?"

"Nothing," I squeaked, my face flushing red. Paul scowled fiercely down at me, his eyes glittering dangerously.

"Nothing," he repeated flatly, and I nodded. "Well, if that's the case, you shouldn't mind if I take a quick look."

"Paul! Don't!" Paul, despite my warnings, deftly snatched the bag from beneath my arm and wrenched it open. At first, he just looked confused at the rectangular boxes, and he picked one up, flipping it over to see the cover. It was almost comical when recognition dawned on Paul's face. His jaw dropped, his eyes widening significantly. It was rather scary when he didn't move.

"Paul?" I whispered, nudging his shoulder.

"You're pregnant?" Paul croaked. When I didn't answer, Paul looked away from the box and down at me. "You're _pregnant_?"

"_Might_," I stressed, wringing my hands and biting my lip. It didn't help remove the astonished look plastered all over his face, just staring down at me with an almost awed expression.

"Well, while you stand there and make an even bigger ass out of yourself, I'll be taking the pregnancy test," I snapped, snatching the box away from him and turning on heel. Paul caught my shirt again and pulled me back, gently, this time.

"What if you _are_ pregnant?" Paul asked softly. I stared at him, my blood boiling.

"What about it?" I spat nastily.

"I mean, what are we going to do?" he asked, and I could only shrug my shoulders rigidly. I, truthfully, didn't know what _to do_. Paul was quiet for moment before he brushed a stray strand of hair out of my face and tucked it behind my ear, smiling softly down at me.

"Go take the test, and we'll see where it goes." He bent down and brushed his lips against mine. I wrapped my arms around his neck and applied pressure while secretly hoping that, whatever the result may be, everything would turn out okay.

--

I glanced at the watch on my wrist, tapping my fingers against the countertop nervously. Just another minute and a half to go.

It was a very nerve wracking process, indeed, and I couldn't even begin to guess why people buy these little sticks of doom. All this waiting time was enough to cause a heart attack.

I glanced back at my watch again, moaning when I saw only five seconds had passed. A minute and twenty-five seconds to go.

What if I really was pregnant? Could Paul and I even deal with that right now? Did he even _want_ kids this early in the relationship? Questions buzzed through my head, making me dizzy with confusion.

Was I even good with kids? I thought so, but I had a feeling that I hadn't quite seen all that applies to having children. My mother, in one of her many tries to convince me to have kids, had gone into full detail of the months of pregnancy, cravings, hormones, labor, and life afterwards. While she had tried to write it off as a 'good thing' and 'something every good child should do at least a dozen times to make their mother oh-so-very-happy', it sounded like pure hell to me, and I didn't know if I could take it, or even want to be pregnant.

My stomach dropped as I glanced at my watch again. Fifteen seconds to go.

Would Paul be okay if I were pregnant? Would he stay with me, or would he just up and leave like so many unready fathers? I felt sick at the last thought, and hoped desperately that that wouldn't be the case with him. Paul was a good man; he would take care of us.

My minutes of hell were finally up, and I, ever so slowly, looked down at the results.

_If it's blue, you're screwed._

--

I stepped out of the bathroom, shutting the door behind me with a soft clicking noise. I padded to the living room where Paul was sitting with his head lolled back and eyes firmly shut. As I came closer, Paul straightened up to look at me with a mixture of anxiety and fear. I smiled nervously as I sat down beside him.

"Hey, dad," I said softly. Paul wrapped his arms around me, pulling me closer so that I could curl into his side. I felt his hand slip under my shirt to touch my stomach cautiously, and I placed my hand on top of his hand.

"You're not going to feel anything yet," I joked quietly.

"I just," Paul said, his voice cracking. He cleared his throat, almost in an embarrassed way. "I just can't believe I'm going to be a dad."

"Better believe it," I said grumpily, thumping his chest for good measure. Paul chuckled and kissed the top of my head. I yawned quietly, nestling down further into his side. He pulled the blanket off the back of the couch and placed it on top of us.

"When are we going to tell the others?" I asked sleepily, eyes fluttering shut. I felt Paul shrug beside me.

"Not sure," Paul mumbled, tracing abstract patterns on my stomach.

I rolled my eyes. "Some boyfriend you are."

--

"What if it's a girl? What are some good names?" I asked. Paul looked up at the ceiling, thinking.

"I like Riley," he said thoughtfully. I wrinkled up my nose at the name. "What? What's wrong with Riley?"

"It's just…I don't know…_Riley_," I repeated. Paul rolled his eyes at me.

"Okay. Since you're the master of names, what would you name her?"

"Well, it certainly wouldn't be _Riley_," I said, ignoring the glare Paul was sending me. "I would name her Scarlett, of course." Paul snorted, and I slapped his chest.

"What's wrong with Scarlett?" I questioned, slightly offended.

"Scarlett?" Paul asked, raising an eyebrow at me. "Are you serious? That's, like, the most stuck up name in the _world_."

"Fine," I huffed, still offended. "Scarlett's out."

"Damn straight it is. Now, how about Lakota?" Paul suggested. I thought about it critically, trying to picture our baby girl _Lakota_. I could see Paul holding a little girl with russet skin and the cutest smile, and warmness pooled in my belly.

"I like it," I said finally, and Paul beamed triumphantly. "Now, for the boy names. I like Shane."

"No," Paul said firmly. "No Shane."

"Why not?" I whined, resisting the urge to smack him.

"Because Shane is just…" Paul trailed off, shuddering.

"You shouldn't vibrate like that," I said spitefully. "We don't want another earthquake, do we?" Paul looked down at me with an exasperated expression.

"Well, how about Howard?" he asked, and I gagged.

"_Howard_?" I repeated disbelievingly, and Paul glared at me.

"After my grandfather," he said, and I shook my head. "Why not?"

"Because," I paused, trying to find a valid excuse as to why I wouldn't let him name our child after his favorite grandfather, "because…well, Howard reminds me of a duck." There was a long silence, and I could feel Paul radiating disbelief.

"A duck." Paul repeated flatly.

"Yes. A duck."

"…_A duck_?" Paul looked at me like I was insane, or, at the very least, a hormonal pregnant girlfriend.

"Yes," I affirmed. Paul just stared at me incredulously, his eye twitching every few seconds.

"…What's wrong with ducks?" Paul asked, and I groaned in annoyance.

"Now you're questioning my aversion of ducks?"

"Well, yeah," Paul said. "They're nice animals; I see at least a couple every time I go patrolling with the guys."

"Nice to see they have you fooled, but I bet when you turn your bushy tail to them, they point and laugh at you," I grumbled, ignoring Paul's thunderous laugh.

Howard's a stupid name.

--

"Cassie! Celebrate with us!" Kim said, popping open an expensive wine bottle. I simply shook my head, flipping a page in a magazine.

"Could you get me some water, instead?" I asked absently, engrossed in an article. Patrick Dempsey and his wife splitting? Huh. I wonder if would he mind having a pregnant girlfriend who was already in a relationship?

"Water?" Al scoffed. "We're celebrating my _engagement_, and all you want is water in a freaking bottle?"

"Yeah," I snapped, barely looking up from the article. There was disappointed grumbling from the women.

"Here," Kim said, pouting at me as she placed the water beside me. "Are you sure you don't want any? I heard that it was excellent."

"I'm sure." I took a sip of the water, flipping the page. The article with Patrick wasn't any good—the rumors weren't even confirmed, much less based on solid fact. I guess I don't have a chance of being his mistress, after all.

"Well, you're not going to see me passing up any alcoholic beverage," Leah jested, taking a swig from a glass Kim had given her. Tommy sighed gloomily beside her.

"How come I get stuck with the women?" he complained, scowling.

"Because you're human and you can't morph into a giant wolf," Al pointed out, making Tommy scowl even more.

"I remember when Jared first told me about the pack," Kim reminisced. "What and exciting time in my life."

"Well, I recall that you freaked out and hit him over the head with a frying pan," Leah chuckled, taking another gulp as Kim glared.

"I may have, but at least _I_ didn't faint," she said, sending a pointed glance in Tommy's direction. I choked on my water, trying to fend off the giggles and the misplaced water.

"I didn't faint," Tommy said, annoyed. "I just had a momentary lapse of balance, is all."

Emily raised an eyebrow. "Leah had to splash you with ice-cold water to help you get your balance back, if I recall correctly." There were high giggles around the room as Tommy slumped in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest and pouting like a petulant child.

"I can't wait until the wedding," Al sighed, smiling with a dreamy expression. Leah rolled her eyes as Kim and Emily giggled.

"You don't know the true meaning of happiness until your married," Kim quoted, grinning.

"And by then, it's too late!" Emily said, laughing loudly. Must be the wine. Amongst the tittering and much eye rolling from Tommy and Leah, Al pushed the wine bottle towards me, smiling mischievously.

"Join in on the fun, Cass," she said, winking. "It's not every day we get to drink like this." But I shook my head, taking a dainty sip of water.

"Nah, I'm good." I looked up to see Al staring at me critically, gauging my expression. My face tinged pink as I fought off the sneaking suspicion that she knew. She couldn't have; there's no way she could.

Luckily, Al just nodded, pulling the wine back to herself. "Suit yourself."

--

"They're _here_!" Al sang, throwing open the front door and throwing herself into Embry's arms. I heard jeers, inside and outside of the house.

"Aw, move it, man!" Quil said from behind Embry. "You're blocking me from my food!"

"Yeah!" Jared chorused, pushing past the two and making his way towards Kim, picking her up off of the ground and kissing her. Quil gagged loudly as he edged through, already on his way to the kitchen. Paul came in next, coming into the living room and sitting beside me.

"Hey," I said, kissing his cheek. Paul turned to his lips caught mine, and I heard more gagging from the kitchen.

"I have excellent hearing, Paul!" Quil hollered from the kitchen, his voice garbled by what I could only guess as food. Paul pulled away from me, rolling his eyes, but still smiling. Subtly, so that no one could see, he slipped his hand quickly over my stomach and then quickly pulling back. Heat flooded my cheeks and I laid my head onto his chest.

"So, what should we watch?" Emily asked, holding up two DVDs. Paul shrugged, stretching his legs out further.

"They both look equally boring," he said in a disinterested voice. Emily scowled at him before turning to Seth, who had just skulked in from outside.

"Which one?" Emily asked, holding up the cases for his examination. Seth scowled uncharacteristically, not even bothering to answer her question. Luckily, Quil saved him from that, barging into the living room with food in his mouth.

"_Mgfhgrm_!"

"Swallow your food, Quil," Emily scolded. Quil glared at her, but did as he was told.

"I said, _No chick flicks_!" Quil repeated, waving his arms about for emphasis, nearly whacking Al as she tried to slide past him. Embry growled, thumping Quil on his head in warning. Emily narrowed her eyes, but otherwise ignored him and popped in a disk.

"We'll watch _The Notebook_," she said firmly, sitting down beside Sam. There was a chorus of groans from the guys, which was quickly silenced by Emily's fierce glare and Kim's threatening glance. Embry flicked off the lights and sat down on the floor with Al, draping his arm over her shoulders and resting his head atop hers.

As the credits started, Paul whispered in my ear, "Did you tell them?" I winced lightly, before shaking my head. He groaned quietly. "Why not?"

"Waiting for the right time," I whispered back.

"_Shh_!" Emily hissed at us, immediately silencing the both of us. Paul snaked his arm around my waist, his hand resting on my stomach yet again. I blushed and focused on the movie.

Or, at least I tried to.

Every time I would start to get absorbed into the movie, Paul would do something to yank me back into the real world, leaving me with butterflies in my stomach. First, it was understated: a simple movement of his hand, or a shifting in position so that, somehow, he would be even closer to me. Then, as the movie progressed, so did his actions. Paul nuzzled my neck where he knew I was extra sensitive. I twitched in my seat, trying to decide whether I should smack him and leave in an indignant huff or to just attack the sexy man. Not knowing what to do, I sat extra still in my spot.

Paul, so quickly that it startled me, scraped his teeth against the sensitive junction between my neck and shoulder.

"_Eep_!" I squeaked. Several faces immediately looked in my direction at the loud sound, and I flushed a bright red. "I-I thought I saw something," I said lamely, pinching Paul's side as he chuckled into my neck.

"My child has _no father_," I hissed under my breath, making him laugh even harder.

--

"Cassie, could I talk to you for a moment," Seth said, not quite asking. Paul stiffened at his tone, but I just patted—or groped—his washboard abs in reassurance and followed Seth to the abnormally empty kitchen. I sat in one of the swivel chairs, twisting side to side in boredom.

"What'd you want?" I asked cheerfully. Seth slapped his palm onto the arm of the chair, stopping me from spinning. He looked down at me, a desperate glint in his eyes. "God, you look _terrible_," I couldn't help but add as I took in his appearance. Seth chuckled wryly, running a hand through his already untidy hair.

"I feel terrible," he said, chuckling quietly. "Cassie, have I asked you for anything? Ever?"

"Yes," I said immediately, pursing my lips. Seth blanched at my quick answer.

"Okay, but what I mean is that I haven't asked for _a lot_—"

"Uh, yes, you have," I pointed out. Seth sighed in exasperation, yanking at his hair roughly.

"That's beside the point," he snapped. "What I want is for you to help get Janine to _notice me_." Seth's voice softened at the end, saying Janine's name carefully as if it were fragile, and could disappear in a puff of smoke.

"What," I asked, teasing, "no 'please'?" Seth groaned, his face falling into his hands. His words were muffled, but each word hit me like a train.

"_Please_, _Cassie_._ I love her_."

I flinched at the honesty in his voice, feeling guilty at the rush of fury I felt washing over me. My hormones and foolish feminine mind were a deadly combination at this point. I, with restraint that surprised me, didn't snap on him. Well, not totally, anyway.

"_Stop that_!" I hissed, smacking him against his head. Seth looked up from his hands, staring down at me with a mixture of awe and rage.

"Stop what?" Seth spat, glaring down at me.

"The pity party, for gosh sakes!" I said, grabbing onto his shoulders and shaking his huge frame as much as I could. "Good grief! Get a hold of yourself, man!"

"How could I when Janine doesn't even know that I exist?" Seth said, despair drenching his words.

"She does," I said, before adding, "kinda." Seth groaned loudly, the noise reverberating off of the walls. "You just have to try to get to know her!"

"How?"

"Well," I said, pausing to think. "Well, you could…go to the library!" Seth glared at me, raising an eyebrow.

"The library?" he asked, and I nodded, slapping my fist into my opened hand.

"Of course! Why didn't I think of that before?" I hopped out of the chair and dashed to the drawers where Emily kept her sticky notes and pens. I snatched a note out and scribbled the address of the library down onto it. When I was done, I shoved the pen back into the drawer and skipped back to Seth, slapping the note onto his forehead.

"For you!" I sang as he peeled it off and glanced at it with indifference. "That is the address to the library—where _Janine works_." Seth's face lit up and he started bouncing up and down like an excited kid on Christmas day. "All you have to do is go there every day she works—I can supply her schedule for you, if you want—and just check out books that she's interested in, which is something else I could fill you in on!"

"You're a genius!" Seth cried, picking me up and hugging me tightly. I placed my hands around my stomach to guard my baby, hoping that he wouldn't notice. Luckily, Seth was too happy on Cloud Nine to come down and notice my odd behavior.

"And you could actually fill your head with some information," I said once he put me down. "God knows you need something to fill up that empty head of yours." I knocked on his head jokingly, laughing when I heard a hollow sound.

"Ha ha," Seth said, rolling his eyes. But he smiled down at me, and I had a strong suspicion that I knew who I was going to name as the godfather.

--

"Alright, bye guys!" I said, trying to rush out of the door. But, alas, Paul caught me and ruined my escape plan.

"Isn't there something you wanted to _tell them_?" Paul asked, putting me in front of where he stood. I shifted uncomfortably as eleven pairs of eyes focused on me.

"Um," I said, "I just wanted to say…that I love you guys, and I hope we can be friends for eternity. So, yeah. Bye now!" I tried to make my way to the door again, but Paul pinned me to his stomach—something that wasn't too good considering my raging hormones.

"Cassie's pregnant," Paul said, sounding rather boastful. I narrowed my eyes at him as cheers—minus Tommy's joking boo—erupted around the room. I glared at him the whole time, even through the hugs and sisterly kisses.

"Dude! You knocked her up!" Quil guffawed, but immediately stopped and reverted to Momma Quil. "Dude, you _knocked her up_?! I thought I told you to use a sock if you needed to!" Paul simply shrugged, grinning mischievously at me. I rolled my eyes at him.

"Well, that's something he's going to have to explain to my parents tomorrow," I said airily, watching as the smile immediately disappeared and was replaced with a panicky look.

"Oh my cheezits," Jake said, grinning. "Could you catch that on video for me, Cass? I've always wanted to see Paul get his ass handed to him up close and personal."

I smiled angelically up at Paul. "Of course, Jake. I'd be happy to."

--

"Oh my God," I giggled as the situation finally set in. "My dad is going to _kill you_."

"Gee, you think?" Paul said, shrugging into a clean shirt. "But, it wasn't my fault, anyway."

"What, so it's mine?" I asked, raising my eyebrows. "I don't think that's going to fly with my dad, seeing as how you were the one who forgot to glove your love."

"Ah, but I would have if you hadn't pounced on me and demanded that we have sex right then and there when I gave you your anniversary present," Paul said, beaming triumphantly at my flushed face.

"You know," I said, willing the blush away from my cheeks, "when you say that, it almost makes me _hope_ that my dad takes the shotgun to your ass."

"I love you too, Angel," Paul said, kissing my forehead. "Now, lets get this over before I decide that it's better if we skip town."

The car ride was silent, tinged with Paul's anxiety and my amusement. Part of me was nervous, too, don't get me wrong, but the other part just couldn't get over how hilarious this was.

Finally when we pulled into the driveway of where my parents were living, I looked over to Paul. I detached his hands from the steering wheel, rubbing them.

"Come on," I coaxed, "it's not going to be too bad." Paul looked over at me, his eyes wide and, dare I say it, scared and intimidated.

"Cassie," he said in a serious manner. "I wrote my will last night, and, if I don't make it out today, I want you to take it to my lawyer and—"

"Oh, shut up," I laughed, letting go of his hands and sliding out of the car. Paul immediately followed, albeit reluctantly, as I stepped up the stairs and rang the doorbell. Paul grabbed onto my hand tightly as footsteps approached the door.

"Coming, coming," my mother sang before opening the door, squealing. "Cassie! Paul! Come, come, my dears! Come inside our humble abode and out of the chilling wind and get comfortable!" I rolled my eyes at her dramatics, but I felt Paul calm down in her cheery presence.

"Morning, Mrs. Barker," Paul said, smiling. My mom beamed brilliantly at him, shaking her head.

"Oh, please! 'Mrs. Barker' makes me feel so old—you may call me 'mom'!" she said, smiling impishly at me and winked. "Would you two like anything? Tea? Food?"

"No thanks," I said.

"I don't think I could eat right now," Paul said, somewhat gloomily. Mom clucked in disappointment, but otherwise left the subject alone.

"So, what is it that you two came over for?" she asked, curiosity shining in her blue eyes. Paul grimaced beside me, but I answered for him.

"We'll discuss it when dad comes home," I said. "When, exactly, will he be home?"

"Hm," Mom said, thinking. "Maxwell should be home shortly, I suppose. Are you sure that we have to wait until he comes back? You guys can tell me no—"

"We have to wait," I said. "I don't think Paul and I can explain twice."

"Oh, phooey," Mom pouted, but other wise left it alone.

--

"I'm so glad we moved into this neighborhood," my mother gushed. "It's so beautiful and green—" There was a car door slam, and trudging footsteps up the stairs. "That'll be your father!" Mom sang, smiling. I wasn't sure if it was because she was glad to see him, or if it was just because her curiosity would finally be satisfied. The door opened, and my dad put his coat on the coat rack, grumbling to himself.

"Oh, Maxwell! The kids are here!" Mom said, bouncing excitedly where she sat. Dad came into the living room, eyeing the three of us warily.

"Hey Cassie," he said before turning an intense gaze onto Paul, "the boyfriend."

"Maxwell!" Mom scolded, slapping his arm. "Be nice!" She pulled him down beside her, still bouncing. "Besides, the kids have something to tell us!" If my dad had looked suspicious before, he looked doubly so and glared at Paul.

"Should I tell them or do you wa—" I didn't have to finish the sentence as Paul shook his head vehemently, and I laughed. "Okay, then. Mom, dad, you guys are going to be grandparents!"

"Oh my goshness!" Mom squealed. "Maxwell! We're finally going to be grandparents! Isn't this all so exciting?!" We all turned to my dad's still form, his face getting paler and paler by the second. Paul's grip on my hand tightened, and I could feel him trembling slightly.

"You're pregnant," Dad croaked, and I nodded cautiously. "And you're sure?" I nodded again, coaxing Paul's hand in comfort.

Dad gulped loudly, slumping slightly. "Well, that's…wow." I could see that he was trembling, too, and Mom reached over to pat his hand.

"Your dad's ecstatic," she said, smiling serenely. "Just give him a moment to recover, hm? In the meanwhile, could you two go into the kitchen and fetch the pitcher of tea and some cups? Cassie, you know where they are at." Without a word, I stood up and led Paul out of the living room and towards the kitchen.

"Are you okay?" I whispered as we entered the cavernous kitchen. Paul nodded wordlessly, though I could see him turning pale under his russet skin. I opened the cupboards and grabbed four cups and placed them into Paul's hands.

"Tea…tea…where's the tea?" I mumbled, pushing aside containers and soda cans in the fridge. Behind me, there was a shattering sound and I turned around to see Paul shaking heavily at the sight of the broken cup on the floor.

"Shit," he cursed, placing the other cups onto the counter and searching the room for a broom.

"Here, I've got it," I said, grabbing the broom and dustpan from the open pantry. I swept the mess up into the dustpan quickly and dumped it into the trash bin. I looked up to see Paul trembling, covering his face with a shaky hand.

"Paul?" I asked worriedly. He didn't answer me. I whispered his name again, setting the broom down and wrapping my arms around his waist. Paul bent down slightly, picking me up and placing me onto the counter. He placed his hands on my hips and buried his face into my neck.

"Paul, what's wrong?" I asked, threading my fingers into his hair. He still didn't answer, but tightened his grip on me and kissed my neck lightly. "Is it because of my dad?" It was a moment before Paul shrugged uncertainly, making me chuckle.

"Paul, honey, you're going to have to tell me what's wrong for me to make it right," I said, kissing the top of his head. Paul groaned quietly.

"When you talk like that, it makes me wanna drag you to the nearest room and have my way with you," he said, and I laughed lightly. "It's just, I dunno. I'm just really nervous, I guess."

"You have nothing to be nervous about," I scoffed. "Dad's just shocked right now. It's not like he's going to take me and lock me in the tallest room of the tallest tower in a dragon guarded castle."

"I wouldn't put it past him," Paul grumbled, playing with a strand of my hair. I sighed quietly, running my hands up and down his back. Paul placed a little more weight on me, leaning into my embrace. His chest rumbled in contentment and his hand slipped under my shirt to touch my stomach.

"You've been doing that a lot lately," I said thoughtfully, and he chuckled.

"It's a habit, so don't expect it to stop anytime soon."

"Well, I think that you—"

"Knock, knock! Are we interrupting something?" Mom asked, entering the kitchen with Dad trailing closely behind. Paul tried to pull away, but I held on tightly, smiling wanly at my parents.

"No, not really," I said, stroking Paul's hair. I heard him gulp nervously at my gamble. I gauged at my dad's expression, but his poker face was up and I couldn't tell what he was thinking.

"So," Dad said, clearing his throat anxiously. "How far along are you, honey?"

"A month, give or take a few days," I said, and he nodded. Paul looked up from my neck and looked at my parents, his face flushed in embarrassment. My mom beamed at him, winking. My dad, however, kept his neutral expression in place.

"Well," he said, shuffling his feet, "it's nice that I'll finally be a grandpa." Paul and I looked at him, shocked, and Mom clapped her hands giddily.

"Oo! I'm so _excited_! Now, Cassie, we should start getting you appointments set up with the doctor and…"

For the next half hour, my mother prattled on and on about what I should do, what I could and could not eat, so on and so forth. Paul stood by—or, in front of—me the whole time, kissing my forehead every few minutes. My dad, when needed, threw in some advice for Paul about dealing with hormones and his time in the delivery room—such as to by me some sort of stress ball to squeeze on so that it would save him even more bills for a broken hand.

Paul smiled down at me, and I kissed his jaw line. Everything would be okay.

--

**[Two Months Later]**

"Well, it's official," I said, admiring the bedroom. Pictures now adorned the once empty shelves and my clothes were carefully and neatly placed into the drawers alongside Paul's clothes. Not much else was different, but in a way, everything was.

Warm arms placed themselves onto my tiny baby bulge—now deemed as Baby Hunter Ethan Walker/Lakota Rose Walker, or Baby 1.0 for short.

"I suppose," Paul said, pursing his lips. "But, I think something's missing."

"Like what?" I asked, my eyebrows furrowing in confusion. Paul removed his hands from me and moved over to the drawer, roughly pushing aside his neatly folded clothes in search of something.

"Aw, I just folded those," I groaned, but Paul ignored my complaining. Instead, he pulled out a photograph and placed it in the center of the collection of other pictures. I raised my eyebrow at the choice.

"But that's such a terrible picture," I said. Paul cocked his head to the side.

"Well, I guess we could always cut the guys out and just leave us in it."

It was the picture from over a year ago when our relationship started to take place. I lay on top of the sleeping Paul while the guys circled around us, posing ridiculously. I laughed, kissing Paul's cheek.

"I'm hungry," I said.

"What for?" Paul asked.

"Hrm…something deep fried and covered with chocolate and pickles." I glared as Paul gagged beside me.

"That's disgusting," he whined, and I rolled my eyes.

"Well, maybe we could go and see what Emily's cooking," I said, and Paul nodded, grinning.

"Who knows? Maybe she has some recipes for pregnancy cravings?"

"Well, you better hope not, because if she does, that's all I'm going to be cooking around her," I threatened lightheartedly, smiling as Paul flinched. "That's what I thought."

* * *

**Alrighty then. Almost done. SO, a lot was accomplished such as telling everyone and the results. **

**I especially liked the shameless flirting/touching between Paul and Cassie. I've been havin' some dirty thoughts as o' late. Mm. It's a disease, ya'll. One that I'm not in any hurry to cure. :D  
NO LEMONS FOR JUUU! **

**So, please review. I want to AT LEAST hit 600 reviews. C'mon. Make this kooky author happy! [Please pardon any grammatical errors you spot!]**


	31. Chapter Thirty One

**Author's Note**

**Happy Late Thanksgiving! :D**

**Sorry I couldn't update sooner, but I hadn't been in the mood to write since my dog, Rocco, died. So, hopefully you can understand. Also, I'm pretty sure this story is possessed. Seriously, every time I get so close to the end, something bad happens, usually deleting all of my progress. I'm telling you guys, the universe is against me finishing this story. Perhaps it will signal the end of the world...?**

**Anyway, don't get your hopes up: this chapter isn't really the shit. Well, actually it is. Oh well. Better to update than not, right?**

**Lastly, read the Author's Note at the end. It's a Jessica-Must. So if you'll excuse me, I'll be hiding in my Apocalypse-proof bunker. [Oh yeah: you won't know the gender of the baby until the END of this chapter. NO SKIPPING!]**

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Twilight. Never have and, sadly, never will.  
**

* * *

**Epilogue**

I scrunched in beside Paul, leaning into his chest. Beside me, Quil twitched in annoyance as Jared accidentally bumped into him.

"Watch it," he snarled.

"Shut up Quil, and put your arm around Claire," Emily barked, fiddling with the camera. Quil scoffed, but quickly did as he was told when Emily shot him a dark glare.

"Why do we have to do this?" I whispered in Paul's ear. He chuckled quietly, splaying his fingers over my swollen belly.

"Because Emily's feeling a bit sentimental, seeing as how all of us are 'so grown up now'." I rolled my eyes, smiling. For the past two weeks, Emily had been lamenting and pouring over old family photos. A seven year old Quil biting into a large sandwich — he's always had such a big appetite, Emily had informed me — a scrawny Jacob fishing with his dad, and there had been a couple of Paul, which I had secretly stolen and was currently hording in my underwear drawer.

"Gather in close!" Emily ordered. The group crowded in closer, nearly crushing each other. I could feel the heat radiating off of the guys, making me feel a little flushed. I inched away, albeit reluctantly, from Paul's chest, only to brush into Embry's equally scorching shoulder.

"Are you okay, Angel?" Paul asked. I smiled weakly, nodding my head. I leaned back into his chest, the heat seeping into my skin. I had to resist the urge to fan myself, thinking to myself how I could've ever enjoyed this searing temperature. When I thought that I would die from a heat stroke, I felt Paul's fingers glide over my sides, the tips of his fingers reaching to touch a sliver of exposed skin. He pressed his lips against my temple, and I felt the familiar giddiness take over. Maybe the heat wasn't _so _bad.

"Enjoying yourself?" Al teased beside me, waggling her eyebrows suggestively at me. I rolled my eyes at her, smirking. What an understatement, I thought, but didn't voice it out loud. God knows Paul doesn't need another ego boost.

"Hardly," I teased back. "What is it? A hundred degrees out here?"

"Cassie! Allison!" Emily snapped. "No complaining!" Al and I grimaced in unison, shrinking into our respective others. Paul kissed my head comfortingly as I cowered from Emily's demonic glare. Satisfied that the talking had ceased, she smiled happily and stepped into her spot by Sam.

"Smile, everyone!" Sam said, already showing his pearly whites. Everyone followed suit as the camera let out a blinding light.

__

"Dude, that light was _so bright_," Seth said. "I think I saw God."

"Shut up, Seth," Al laughed, punching his arm.

"I'm serious, Al. I totally saw God." Seth blinked his eyes rapidly, trying to disperse the tiny white dots that were invading everyone's sight. I rubbed my eyes, grumbling my complaint. I felt Paul's lips press against my hair, not at all helping the white dots.

"Did you know that people used to think pictures stole souls?" Janine asked, her hand firmly clasped in Seth's.

"Huh," Quil said, rubbing his stomach thoughtfully. "I thought I was feeling a bit empty."

"Quil, your soul is still intact — you're just hungry," Claire pointed out, raising an eyebrow when Quil's stomach growled loudly, emphasizing her point.

"Good call," Quil said, pulling her up from the couch. "Come make me some food." Claire snorted, but didn't object as he dragged her to the kitchen, already telling her what he wanted on his sandwich.

"I think I should be a Holy Man," Seth mused aloud after they left. Everyone laughed in unison, ignoring his glare.

"Dude, you wouldn't last a day being a Holy Man," Jake said. "Quil didn't even last ten minutes last time."

"Plus, don't they abstain from sex and alcohol or something?" Al asked. Seth turned pale under his russet skin, eyes darting for a split second to Janine. Embry laughed loudly, as did Paul.

"Well, he already has the abstaining from sex down," Paul said, smirking at Seth as his color returned, flaring up in his cheeks. Janine mumbled a weak 'shut up', hiding her crimson flush. I smacked Paul's arm half-heartedly. He smiled innocently at me, flashing white teeth.

"How about you go make yourself useful and get me a sandwich, hm?" I asked. The smile was replaced with a reluctant pout, but Paul heaved himself off the couch and trudged out of the room. Jake smirked at me when he left, raising an eyebrow playfully.

"You have him pussy-whipped, huh?" he asked. I laughed loudly, smothering most of it with a hand. But before I could speak, Paul came back in, eyes wide and a haunted expression on his face.

"I'm not going back in there, Cassie," Paul said vehemently, ducking his head into my shoulder. "No matter what you say, I am not getting you a sandwich from_ that kitchen_." I looked back at Jake, pursing my lips.

"I guess not."

__

"Damn, girl," Quil said, lips swollen. "You look like you're gonna pop." I scowled at him, shoving the ham slices back into the refrigerator.

"Oh, gee Quil. Thank you ever so freaking much," I said, picking my plate off the counter. "Don't break the chair, you two."

"What? Like how you and Paul broke the table?" Quil guffawed, thoroughly enjoying my embarrassment. In his lap, Claire tittered, winking at me devilishly. I huffed defensively, willing the color from my face.

"That table was old, anyway," I said. "Emily's lucky we gave her a reason to go table shopping."

"And what about Sam? I guess he got to take out his frustrations on Paul, hm?" Claire said, grinning evilly. I huffed again, turning away from their laughing faces and walked — or waddled, however you want to look at it — out of the room, spluttering incoherently to myself. It was just one time, _one time_, and nobody would drop it! Like none of them ever had sex at someone else's house on their furniture! God!

"Cassie, are the voices talking to you again?" Embry asked, grinning like the idiot he was.

"Yes, Call," I spat. "They're telling me to bash you upside the head with a baseball bat, and I just might do it."

"It's the Hormone Voices," Seth stage whispered, yelping when I pinched his arm. Janine rubbed the sore spot, babying him as per usual. I rolled my eyes at his dramatics, easing myself down beside Paul. He inspected my food, wrinkling his nose when he saw the cream-covered pickles on there with the ham slices covered in chocolate sprinkles.

"It's surprisingly good," I said, taking a bite out of it. Embry gagged, and Seth looked downright horrified at my concoction.

"How can you _do that?"_ Seth said, flinching as I took yet another bite.

"Very easily," I said after I swallowed my food.

"But you're desecrating the Holy sanctity of the food!" Seth cried.

"Dude, do you even know what sanctity means?" Jake joked, laughing at Seth's incredulous expression.

"I don't see how that is relevant to this conversation, Jacob!" Seth stood from the couch, gently pulling Janine up with him. "Come on, Janie. Lets go some place that actually _respects food_." Janine followed him out, sending me an apologetic smile over her shoulder.

"Is my food that repulsive?" I asked Paul.

"Yeah, Cass," he said, still eyeing my sandwich warily. "It pretty much is."

I shrugged my shoulders, taking another bite out of the sandwich.

__

"What is that?!" I shrieked, snatching the picture from Paul's hand, tears welling up in my eyes as I took in the image.

"It's the picture from earlier," Paul said, rubbing my shoulders. "What's wrong, Angel?"

"I'm _fat_!" I wailed, burying my face into my hands as the tears spilled over. I was absolutely _hideous!_ I felt Paul's warm arms wrap around my waist, gently cradling me into his chest.

"No you're not, Cassie. You're pregnant — big difference," he said, kissing the side of my neck. I shook my head, crying even harder now.

"Y-Yes I a-am!" I cried. "I'm f-freaking ginormous! They're g-gonna ship me off to Sea World and c-call me _Shamoo t-the Second!_" A sound erupted from Paul's chest, a mix between a growl and a laugh.

"Cassie," he said, his fingers slipping down to my stomach, almost cradling it. "You. Are. Pregnant." He emphasized each word with a soft kiss on my lips. Paul traced the roundness of my belly with one hand, the other reaching up to gently wipe away the tears from my emotional outburst. I sniffled quietly, not quite able to keep the pout away from my lips. Paul kissed my lower lip before sighing quietly.

"What am I ever going to do with you?" He didn't say it like I was a burden, but said it with such affectionate ease. He ran his hand over my belly once more, initiating a hum of contentment from me.

"You're not going to keep it, are you?" I asked, almost sleepily, leaning into him. Paul brushed aside my hair to kiss the nape of my neck, his lips turning up at the corners against my skin.

"Of course — everyone gets a copy."

And that's when I burst into tears again.

__

I turned away from Paul's hand and pressed my cheek against the cool window. I heard his heavy sigh, the window reflecting his hand pulling away from me and placing itself back on the steering wheel. I scowled at his reflection, completely infuriated with him.

"Come on, Cassie," Paul whined. "You can't be _that_ mad at me!"

_Think again, bud_.

After another silent moment, Paul groaned quietly, pinching the bridge of his nose with a free hand. "Cassie, it's not like I could take those pictures back. I mean, that would be kind of selfish—" I snorted at this part, crossing my arms over my belly. The baby kicked against my stomach in testament, _obviously_agreeing with me whole-heartedly.

There was another heavy sigh as he pushed his hand through his hair roughly. "I'm sorry, Cass," he said after a minute. "What can I do to make you feel better?"

"I dunno," I mumbled, looking down at my cupped hands that rested in my lap.

"You don't know," Paul repeated, placing a hand on top of mine. I encased his hand with both hands, slightly frustrated that I could barely cover it. The ring glittered on my left hand, winking at me in the dark. "How about when we get home, I'll make you a sandwich with anything you want on it."

"_Anything?" _I asked skeptically. "And no complaining this time?"

"Anything, and no complaints whatsoever," Paul affirmed, tracing the edges of my engagement ring. "How does that sound?" I thought about it for a moment before I felt the baby kick against my stomach again, this time much harder.

"The baby says yes," I giggled. Paul chuckled beside me, gripping my hands tightly.

__

"Ouch!"

"What?" Paul asked, brushing back my hair. "What's wrong?" I grimaced, placing my hand over my stomach. The baby kicked as another sharp pain came, leaving me out of breath.

"Cramps," I gasped. Good Lord Almighty above, what did Paul do with that _damned sandwich_? Paul pushed aside the blankets to move aside my hand and gently prodded my stomach. I hissed in pain, grinding my teeth together. "Ow, ow, ow, fucking ow, Paul!_ Quit touching me, dammit!_"

"Sorry, sorry," Paul mumbled. "Can you sit up for me?" I bit my lip, raising myself up slowly. Another sharp pain came, making me whimper. When I was sitting up, sweat dewing my forehead, Paul moved off the bed, rummaging through the pockets of his jeans that were discarded on the floor. He took his cellphone out of the back pocket, pounded on some numbers before placing it to his ear.

"Sam? Yeah, could you get the guys and tell them to meet us at the hospital? Yeah. Yeah, I think so. She's..." Paul trailed off to look at me, his eyebrows crumpling slightly. "She's not doing too well right now. Yeah, call them, too. Alright. See you in twenty minutes." He snapped the phone shut and pulled on his jeans, his eyebrows still furrowed.

"We're going to the hospital?" I squeaked, something that wasn't completely due to nervousness. Paul nodded his head, disappearing into the closet momentarily before coming back out, our overnight bag over his shoulder.

"Come here," he said, gently lifting me out of the blankets and cradled me against his chest.

"You're shirtless," I said, gasping quietly as another pain struck. Paul simply rolled his eyes, muttering how he didn't give a damn about the hospital's stupid policies. He walked out of the house, deftly shutting the door behind him as he carried me towards the truck. As he buckled me in, he made sure that the lower strap didn't press down too hard against my stomach. Satisfied, he shut the door with a soft click.

"What if something's wrong with the baby?" I asked once he got in, watching as he cranked the ignition and quickly pulled out of the driveway.

"The baby's okay," Paul said, the skin around his mouth tightening just a bit. I chewed on my bottom lip as I watched the speedometer climb up as we sped down the abandoned roads. His knuckles whitened as he gripped the wheel tightly, the leather material creaking in protest. His back barely touched the seat, it was so stiff. Hesitantly, I ran a hand over the tensed muscles of his arm, trying to calm him while simultaneously trying not to grope him during his distressed state.

"Everything'll be alright," I said soothingly. I felt his muscles slacken slightly as he released his death grip on the steering wheel, his back curving back into the chair. I reached up to stroke his cheek, running my hand over the slight stubble that started to grow. Paul leaned into my hand, exhaling quietly.

"We're here," he said, parking in an empty spot close to the main entrance. Everyone was already there, a wheelchair placed conspiciously by them. I scowled at it as Jake opened my door and started to unbuckle me.

"I don't need a wheelchair," I grumbled as he sat me down in it. Jake snorted, ignoring me.

"Here, dude," Seth said, tossing something to Paul. "Had a feeling you'd leave without a shirt." Paul rolled his eyes but slipped the shirt over his head, and I couldn't help ogle as the material tightened over his perfect muscles, giving my quite a view.

"C-Doc already has you guys a room ready," Al said, winking at me. I scoffed at the obvious special treatment, but didn't say anything as I was wheeled into the hospital. I scrunched my eyes closed when I felt another pang in my belly. I felt Paul's fingers massage through my hair comfortingly, and I didn't have to look at him to know that he was rigid from head to toe.

"You okay, Cassie?" Nessie asked from beside Jake, her sweet voice pitched high in concern. I nodded, pinching the bridge of my nose.

"Here's the room! Hey, Doc! How are you?" Jake's tone was overly cheery, and I felt like hitting him upside the head with a brick.

"Hello, Jacob," Carlisle said, and I could tell he was smiling. "Cassie? Are you in much pain?"

"Uh huh," I said, my voice shrill from the pain. I heard Carlisle make a tutting sound before he handed out orders to everyone. Paul, stay here with Cassie while the staff runs some tests. Seth, no eating in the patient's room. Everyone, go wait in the waiting room_ — _we'll update you regularly on Cassie's condition. And Quil, for goodness sakes! Take that nurse's uniform off!

__

"So, that's going to break my water?" I asked, eyeing the syringe warily as Carlisle stuck it in my IV bag. He nodded his head, smiling gently down at me. Beside me, Paul gripped my hand tightly in his. I watched as he jiggled his knee nervously, breathing deeply and levelly.

"Sheesh, Paul. You act as if you're the one who's about to give birth," I teased weakly. He smiled at me, even his lips having that nervous twitch.

"Water broke," Carlisle told us cheerfully. "It'll be a matter of time now." Paul groaned quietly, pressing his forehead against our joined hands.

"How long is this going to last?" I asked, flinching as a contraction hit.

"Seeing how this is your first time, it could last over thirty hours," he said, holding up a hand at our protests. "But if it comes to that, we can always opt for a c-section." I swallowed loudly at the thought of so many hours. I looked over to Paul, scowling when I took in his ashen face.

"You better not faint," I warned him, recieving a glare in return.

__

"How much longer, Carlisle?" Paul asked over my moans.

"Any time now," Carlisle repeated for the hundredth time this hour. "Come on Cassie! Push! You're so close now!" I huffed, my indignation somewhat marred by the tears that were streaming down my face. Paul kissed the top of my sweat-drenched hair, whispering encouraging words in my ear. I pushed harder, a half strangled scream ripping from my throat.

"Fuck shit damn!" I gasped, recieving a reprimanding look from one of the nurses. "Fuck shit shit hell!"

"I see the head!" A younger nurse cried. "Come on! Push! Push! Push!" I scowled at her cheerleader-esque chanting, but did as I was told and pushed harder, the pain tripling now.

"There's the shoulders...the chest...the stomach...the baby's out!" The nurse clapped her hands giddily, like she had hit the jackpot, and I had to restrain myself from ripping the stethoscope off of Carlisle's neck and strangling her with it.

There was a sharp smacking sound — prompting tired growls from Paul and I — and the sound of our child's cries.

"It's a boy," Carlisle said, handing the newly bundled Hunter in our arms, wincing slightly. "Wow, he's got a pair of lungs on him, huh?"

"Well, if you hadn't violated him," Paul snarled, "we wouldn't be having these problems." Carlisle ignored the barbed comment and set about ordering his nurses to clean up the excess blood before ordering them out.

"Would you like me to send your guests in?" Carlisle asked, quirking his eyebrow almost playfully. Paul and I nodded absentmindedly, marveling at the little bundle that was nestled in my arms. Hunter had quieted down, staring up at us with large, almost bewildered eyes.

"He has your eyes," Paul said quietly, kissing the side of my neck.

"And he has your...everything else," I noted, frowning slightly. I could hardly see myself in him! "Will he also, you know, join the pack when he's older?" Paul sighed quietly, shrugging his shoulders.

"I... it's a distinct possibility," Paul said. "It runs stronger in the boys than the girls." I nodded my head, barely listening as I watched little Hunter in his sleep. His eyelashes were spiked with tears dewed on the tips, fading tear tracks staining his russet skin.

"Did you want to hold him?" I asked softly. Paul nodded, gently and skillfully taking Hunter from my arms and cradled him in his own arms. Paul's face softened at our son, and I couldn't help the warmth that pooled in my chest and belly at the sight of our son in his arms.

"Knock knock," Al whispered, stepping into the room. Everyone filed in behind her, grinning idiotically at the baby in Paul's arms. "It's a boy, huh?" I nodded, ignoring the fist pounds and the quiet whoops from the guys.

"I'm a grandma!" Quil blubbered. Claire handed him a tissue, patting his back comfortingly. Beside him, Tommy winked at me impishly and Leah smirked at me. Janine smiled softly at me, following the other girls to my bedside to brush away my damp hair and fuss over me, each one asking me a series of questions that left me even more tired and exhausted.

And like that, time passed. The room was buzzing with happiness as everyone took their turns holding little Hunter, the smiles never leaving their faces. Within the hour, plans were made, not just for me, but for everyone else as well. Al planned to have a baby girl — Hunter would be her soul mate, of course. Seth had another date planned for him and Janine, smiling conspiratorially at me. Emily and Kim already planned play dates for our babies, gushing over details. Tommy and Leah just wanted to go with the flow and see where life took them. A brief discussion of whether Leah could get pregnant took place, ending in the 'your guess is as good as mine' reply.

A few hours later, when the room was cleared and Paul rested his head on top of my stomach, soundly asleep. I ran my fingers through his hair, briefly glancing at the hospital cradle where Hunter slept to make sure that he was okay. His soft snuffles confirmed my thoughts, and I relaxed back into the hospital pillows. My eyes fluttered, and I felt happy that I finally got a chance to rest without the poking and prodding of nurses.

Paul and I had a lot planned for our future, most of which had to do with Hunter. I had once worried that Paul and I wouldn't make it, especially with such an early pregnany in our fragile relationship. But, as I thought about it, I didn't feel the familiar onslaught of unease or anxiety. I felt calm, relaxed, and reassured. What I had worried would be the downfall of us was what had made our relationship stronger. The small, tiny bundle that wasn't but a few feet away from me was truly a miracle, in more ways than I could describe.

Yes, there would still be kinks in our relationship and a few pitfalls, but every good, worthwhile relationship did. We had years ahead of us, years that I was very much looking forward to. Slowly, as my eyes closed, and I could see my ring winking in the hospital lights, a silent testimony that Paul and I had forever. And with that, sleep took me over with sweet dreams accompanying it.

* * *

**D'aw. I wish I could have that kind of ending/beginning of sorts. Well, I don't know if you guys like it since it's (a. too happy (b. too cheesy or (c. all of the above. Well, I say get over it. I'm a sucker for Happily Ever Afters, seeing as how I get attached to the story's characters very easily. Plus, I've been up into the early morning finishing this 'cause I felt so damned guilty for not giving you guys a new chapter for over a month. Also, I know you guys might be a tad disappointed that I left out a couple of people for the birth, but I felt like the chapter was too loaded and stuffed, so some got the boot. OK, down to what I want to tell you guys:**

**The Sequel to Brownie Points is most likely NOT going to be my next project. It is very likely a Marcus x OC story, seeing as how I already have the first chapter and half of the second chapter all typed up. Yup. Sorry to disappoint, guys. But, I'm gonna try to multi-task my stories and do several stories at a time. Hm. It's always nice to have options. But, don't be surprised if I don't post a new story up any time soon. Also, everyone, please leave a review. It can be, like, one word, and I'd be so damned freaking happy. 'Good', 'bad', or even 'SHABOODLE!!1!!1!' would satisfy me. So, until next time! **

**~ Jessica**

**PS: Big thanks to everyone who read and/or reviewed this story! BIG LOVE! **


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